Bach, Vulfpeck, Socrates, and the Infinite By Karl Schudt, Seminar Host I've been listening to a lot of Bach recently, specifically the solo violin works. You can find a good example here.  [They are sparse, mathematical, non-emotional exercises in pattern manipulation. I wonder if the sparseness and Doric purity of the music is part of the [...]

How to Think About Thinking By Daniel Taylor I just finished the first reading assignment: those first 44 pages of  How to Read A Book. I'm relieved and excited--it was interesting, practical, and terse; just the kind of instructional book I like! In the course of completing the assignment, I added three new words to my [...]

The Iliad, Book 1 Analysis: Rage Against The Will Of Zeus By Christopher Cataldi I took the time to be way more thorough with Book 1, which introduces crucial themes to the rest of the story. I usually like my reading to raise some higher-order question, so, after writing this out, my question is as [...]

The Iliad, The Odyssey, and Controlling One’s Passions By Arbon Ransom The Iliad and The Odyssey are excellent lessons on the importance of keeping one’s passions within due bounds, or within proper limits. They teach us to control ourselves and that there is a time for aggression and a time for restraint. The Iliad shows [...]

How to Read a Book like an Explorer By Scott Hambrick, Reader-In-Chief When I was young, I remember encountering Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. It’s an odd bit of music, irregular in its rhythms and harmonies. If you’ve seen Fantasia, it’s the music for the part with the dinosaurs. I used to sit up late listening on [...]

Socrates, Beethoven, and Swans By Karl Schudt, Seminar Host  I recently re-read Phaedo, the story of the last day of Socrates’ life. The ship has returned from Delos, and he knows that he’ll be drinking poison when the sun goes down. He and his friends, of course, talk about philosophy. What sort of life should [...]

I Met Socrates the Other Day at the Gym By Karl Schudt, Seminar Host  A fine example of working on one's mental fitness... in-between sets.   I was at the gym the other day when Socrates came in. It's kind of a nerd gym, so this is unsurprising. I asked him a question that had [...]

What Thraysmachus Can Teach Us About Self-Examination By John Antonio Pascarella, Seminar Host Though only a force to be reckoned with in Book I of Plato’s Republic, Thrasymachus always manages to grab my attention.  The first time I read the Republic, I thought Thrasymachus was a simpleton.  In my second reading, my opinion changed, with great [...]

Death is the Good Guy? By Karl Schudt, Seminar Host  Are you ever annoyed by the powerful? Are you ever resentful? There seems to be lots of people who go through life without much effort, but have means and money to do whatever they want without care. I know that I sometimes feel offended, resenting [...]

How Legos Can Give Your Soul Wings By Karl Schudt, Seminar Host  The Key to Self-Improvement: Finding (and Cultivating) Experiences that Make the Wings of Your Soul Grow Life can be hard sometimes. The troubles of the day can weigh you down, making everything seem gray and cold. You've had days like this. I know [...]