News and Announcements
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On Academic Gatekeeping
A Philosophical Happy Hour on admission to and exclusion from the halls of learning—or, the needs and excesses of academic gatekeeping. “Shut your College gates against the votary of knowledge, throw him back upon the searchings and the efforts of his own mind; he will gain by being spared an entrance into your Babel.” –…
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Engagement Survey (Prize Giveaway)
Public Engagement Survey Now Open The Lyceum Institute exists to serve a public good: serious liberal education conducted online, grounded in tradition, and ordered toward intellectual and moral formation. As our programs, seminars, and community continue to grow, it is important that we pause to listen—not only to members, but to the wider public we…
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The Growth of Consciousness
A Philosophical Happy Hour on the nature, growth, and importance of understanding consciousness. The concept of “consciousness” today seems rather important: it is brought up in questions about artificial intelligence, neuroscience, the development of habits, “mindfulness”, self-improvement, and countless other related issues. But what is consciousness? Few good definitions seem available. Even many persons professionally…
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Do We Still Need Universities?
A Philosophical Happy Hour on the ends and purposes of higher education, universities, and the needs of teaching and learning. —Reading Francis Slade’s “Ends and Purposes” In the nearly two-years since Claudine Gay’s revealed plagiarism and subsequent resignation from Harvard University, familiar questions concerning the function and legitimacy of academic work—questions that, despite their familiarity…
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On the Shifting Sands of Language
A Philosophical Happy Hour on Owen Barfield’s “Philology and the Incarnation”, wherein we will think about meaning and metaphor in language. For this week’s Philosophical Happy Hour, we will again take up a specific short text to read and discuss: this time, Owen Barfield’s short article, “Philology and the Incarnation”, available in this attached PDF. …
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Trivium: Grammar I – Foundations [Winter 2026]
Announcement of our Winter 2026 Trivium: Art of Grammar course, in which we investigate the foundations of the English language (and language generally) through a rigorous study of syntax and semantics. Description Details This course includes eight weekly readings, lectures, homework assignments and two live class sessions per week. The class sessions are recorded but…
![Trivium: Grammar I – Foundations [Winter 2026]](https://i0.wp.com/lyceum.institute/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Grammar-I_16.9Blank.jpg?fit=2763%2C1657&ssl=1)
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Seminar: Metaphysics – Discovery of Ens inquantum Ens [Winter 2026]
Announcement of our Winter 2026 Philosophy Seminar, taking up the foundations of an Aristotelian-Thomistic metaphysics and discussing its seminal importance to all of life. Description Details This course includes eight weekly readings, lectures, and live class sessions. The class sessions are recorded but should be attended to fully participate. All required texts will be provided…
![Seminar: Metaphysics – Discovery of Ens inquantum Ens [Winter 2026]](https://i0.wp.com/lyceum.institute/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/MetaphysicsDiscovery3_16.9Blank.jpg?fit=2763%2C1242&ssl=1)
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Seminar: Language and Philosophy [Winter 2026]
Announcement of our Winter 2026 Philosophy Seminar, diving deep into a graduate level discussion of language as fundamental to our understanding of human experience. Description Details This course includes eight weekly readings, lectures, and live class sessions. The class sessions are recorded but should be attended to fully participate. All required texts will be provided…
![Seminar: Language and Philosophy [Winter 2026]](https://i0.wp.com/lyceum.institute/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/LanguagePhilosophy_16.9Blank2.jpg?fit=2763%2C1242&ssl=1)
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Course Catalog (2026)
The Lyceum continues to grow: in 2019, a single instructor gave 4 philosophy seminars. In 2026, twelve Faculty plan to offer no fewer than 20 distinct courses, across the Trivium, Latin, Greek, Philosophy Seminars, and Reading Circles. We plan to offer several studies in Literature and Colloquia, as well. The concrete planned offerings are as…
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On “Idols of the Mind”
A Philosophical Happy Hour thinking through the challenges posed by Francis Bacon’s Idols of the Mind. The concept of idols as a philosophical problem is one that has captured the attention of a wide variety of thinkers, from early modern philosophers such as Descartes and Francis Bacon to 20th century phenomenologists such as Jean-Luc Marion.…
