UM faculty and staff fondly remember Harrington as a colleague and friend.

"Mike Harrington was a much loved member of the university faculty and Oxford community," said Chancellor Robert Khayat. "He and his family have enhanced our lives in a variety of ways. The university mourns his loss and extends our heartfelt sympathy to his wonderful family."

Glenn Hopkins, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, said, "Michael Harrington was an important part of this university for over 30 years. A dedicated and popular teacher, he influenced generations of students, and, as an administrator, he led his department with good sense and an unfailing dedication to improving the education of students here. This university is better because of him. He will be greatly missed, especially by those of us who knew him well and were fortunate enough to call him friend."

Because of Harrington's leadership and vision, the Department of Philosophy and Religion grew from fewer than three faculty members in the 1970s to its current eight members, and is still growing, according to William F. Lawhead, department chair.

"Michael had a love of ideas for their own sake, but he also was dedicated to making philosophy relevant to everyday ethical concerns," Lawhead said. "He disseminated philosophy not only in the classroom and in professional papers, but in newspaper opinion pieces as well. I will always remember him for his engaging, wry wit. I could not talk to him very long without him making me laugh.

"It was his humor and sense of philosophical perspective that kept him on top of his personal medical problems and that kept the rest of us on top of the challenges that faced the department over the years. He had a zest for life, but also a Socratic detachment that gave him a deep sense of peace."

Harrington played an important role in the formation of the UM's Center for the Study of Southern Culture. Through his work on the Mississippi Humanities Council, he promoted the humanities across the state for many years.

He was born in Portland, Oregon, on July 8, 1944. He earned the Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy from Davidson College in 1966.   He then earned his Master of Arts degree in philosophy in 1969 and his Doctor of Philosophy degree in philosophy in 1972 from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.

Dr. Harrington joined the Department of Philosophy and Religions at the University of Mississippi as an assistant professor in 1970 and spent his whole career there, retiring in 2006. He was promoted to associate professor in 1976 and professor in 1988. He served as Chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religion from 1991 to 2005.

Dr. Harrington was instrumental in the growth of his department and made many contributions to the university and the state. One of his early interests was the Mississippi Humanities Council. While working with the Council he spoke to groups throughout the state on topics ranging from “The Philosophy Behind the Constitution” to “Science and Technology.” In 1976 he and colleague Robert Haws put together a proposal that led to the formation of the world-renowned Center for the Study of Southern Culture. He was a highly regarded professor and was a popular teacher to students in the University’s Honors College, especially in his classes on the relationship between philosophy, science, and religion.  

He was a member of numerous professional organizations and regularly presented and published scholarly papers. In 1997 he authored the book Traditions and Changes: The University in Principle and in Practice.  Regarding his research interests, he once wrote: “As with the rest of human understanding, philosophy is in the midst of the most radical reformulation of its concepts of God, nature, and ourselves in our brief history. What 20th century science has done for what we believe about the world, the Women's Movement did for our understanding of ourselves, and the new theology is following through on our comprehension of divinity. My writing is focused on how the past led to the present revolution and the possibilities for our future--especially as they are voiced in process philosophy and theology.”