Spinoza's Ethics Spinoza's Ethics
A deep dive into seventeenth-century's most controversial philosopher, Baruch Spinoza, variously portrayed throughout history as: "the accursed Jew of Amsterdam" and "the Atheistic Euclid" by some; a...
Suetonius: Lives of the Twelve Caesars Suetonius: Lives of the Twelve Caesars
In The Twelve Caesars, Suetonius examines the amazing and sometimes bizarre lives of the early rulers of the Roman Empire, beginning with Julius Caesar and ending with Domitian. Composed as...
Supreme Court Review, 2023-24 Term Supreme Court Review, 2023-24 Term
The Supreme Court of the United States will be completing its 2023-24 term this summer. In this course, we will read and discuss a selection of its most important decisions.
The Apocrypha and other Jewish Literature of the Second Temple Period(400 BCE to 100CE The Apocrypha and other Jewish Literature of the Second Temple Period(400 BCE to 100CE
This course on the Apocrypha and other Jewish Literature of the Second Temple Period will be followed with a three quarter sequence on the New Testament 2024-2025.
The Art and Ends of Reading: Moby-Dick 1 The Art and Ends of Reading: Moby-Dick 1
Moby-Dick is our American epic, and one of the most densely written books in our language. It “contains the cosmos,” as Harold Bloom writes; and he adds: “I would not change one sentence.” We will do...
The Craft of Story: Mood & Tone The Craft of Story: Mood & Tone
Mood is a crucial component of how audiences experience stories. The mood and tone of the opening scenes of a movie or literary work should prime the audience to understand the character, the...
The Four Gospels of the New Testament The Four Gospels of the New Testament
In this autumn course, we will read the four “canonical” gospels as the first part of a three quarter sequence on the New Testament. Matthew, Mark and Luke, the first three gospels, are often called...
The Grammar and Syntax of Cinematic Style—Past, Present and Future The Grammar and Syntax of Cinematic Style—Past, Present and Future
This course is a continuation of a project examining the nature and history of cinema with reference to (1) techniques of representation and attendant psychological depictions of emotional networks...
The Modern Mind in the 20th Century I: 1900-1932 The Modern Mind in the 20th Century I: 1900-1932
This three-quarter sequence will examine the history of ideas in the 20th Century, from 1900 through to 2001. The Autumn course will focus on how ideas come to terms with the new post-Darwinian...
The Plays of Tom Stoppard The Plays of Tom Stoppard
An intellectual acrobat and an amazing spinner of words, Tom Stoppard is a playwright who focuses on everything from metaphysics and moral philosophy to the abuse of freedom and the nature of love. He...