It is my pleasure to introduce thomas carson, professor of philosophy at Loyola University in chicago. He is a graduate of Saint Olaf College and brown university. Professor carsons easting teaching and Research Focus on ethics, as his book titles suggest. The status of morality, value and the good life, and lying and deception. Professor carson has a lifelong interest in history, which led him to write his most recent book, lincolns ethics. I had the pleasure of reading it in manuscript. I commend it to your attention. I must admit, i was a bit skeptical when informed that i philosopher, not an historian or political scientist, was writing about lincoln. I have long shared the view expressed by henry adams, who said philosophers offer unintelligible answers to unsolvable problems. I assure you that lincolns ethics offers highly intelligible answers to eminently soluble problems of great interests to students of our 16th president. Please join me in welcoming tom carson. [applause] pro