In the forthcoming seminar, we present an in-depth philosophical examination of history, inspired by Etienne Gilson’s proposition that the History of Philosophy is analogous to a laboratory for chemists and biologists. The seminar proposes an exploration into the idea that history is not merely a chronological record but a spatial and present reality, as exemplified by the history written in the stars. This perspective challenges the traditional view of the past as a distant, inert collection of events, suggesting instead that it is a dynamic and present force in our lives.
The seminar aims to cultivate a robust philosophical methodology for understanding human time and history. It addresses the complexity of chronology as an inherent aspect of humanity, engaging with theological concepts of salvation history and critically assessing modern ideologies like Hegelianism, Marxism, and various postmodernist movements. These ideologies, which often attempt to transcend or reinterpret historical narratives, will be examined for their implications on understanding history.
Can there be a science of history? Aristotle rather famously denied this—but if we believe, with St. Augustine, that an intelligible rationale synchronically permeates the cosmos, it stands to reason that meaning may be found also in the diachronic unfolding of the centuries. That our interpretations of this diachronic unfolding themselves often conflict does not undermine that intelligibility; rather, such conflict should drive us to dig deeper.
The initial sessions will focus on fundamental concepts such as the nature of motion, change, and time, along with the roles of tradition, transmission, and translation. This will set the stage for discussions on human freedom versus determinism, and the unique historical nature of human beings.
Further, the seminar will delve into the faculty of memory, drawing from St. Augustine and Eastern philosophies, to better understand the shaping of historical perception. Subsequently, different paradigms of interpreting historical change—the linear vs. cyclical, the Great Protagonists vs. the longue durée—the relationship between history and myth, and the examination of various modern approaches to history (in, e.g., Hegel, Darwin, Spengler, Vico, Rosenstock-Huessy, and others) will be key topics of discussion.
Concluding with an analysis of the Abrahamic traditions, the seminar will explore the unique commonality of these religions in their capacity for not only articulating but embodying their historical narratives. This scholarly seminar invites participants to engage in a comprehensive and critical exploration of time, history, and the human experience within it.
All texts for this course will be provided in PDF. The seminar will be conducted remotely through Microsoft Teams. Learn more about our seminars here. Discussions will be held each Saturday. Early access to the platform begins on 16 March 2024. Deadline to register is 4 April 2024. Download the Syllabus for more details.
Schedule – topics and readings not yet complete
| Discussion Sessions 10:00am ET (World times) | Study Topics & Readings |
| April 6 | 1. Time: the Measure of Motion and the Motor of History in the Three Migrations of Tradition, Transmission and Translation Readings: » [Primary] John M. Quinn. The Doctrine of Time in St. Thomas, Literary Licensing, 2013 [1959] 17-43; A.K. Coomaraswamy. Time and Eternity, “Introduction,” Artibus Asiae, 1947, 1-7. » [Secondary] Quinn, ibidem, 1-16; Coomaraswamy, Time and Eternity, V. “Christian and Modern,” 105-140. |
| April 13 | 2. Freedom, Personhood and Creation in History Readings: » [Primary] Vernon Bourke. Will in Western Thought, Sheed & Ward, “What Does Will Mean?”, 1964, 5-27. Jacques Maritain. The Thomist Idea of Freedom, PDF. » [Secondary] Norris Clarke. Being and Person, Marquette, 1958; P-M Emonet. The Greatest Marvel of Nature, Crossroads, 2000, 14-23. S.R. Paine. “Scholia on an Implicit Person,” parts 1 and 2: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oqMNOO–mKk3ADaDh1OSHOwlcR6cV8Hj/view |
| April 20 | 3. Memory: the “Great Harbor” (Aug.) – on Hearing and Remembering Readings: » [Primary] St. Augustine. Confessions, bk. X » [Secondary] Todd Breyfogle. “Memory and Imagination in Augustine’s Confessions”, PDF. |
| April 27 | 4. History: Cycles or Stories? Protagonists or Currents? Readings: » [Primary]. Mircea Eliade. Cosmos and History, U. of Chicago, 1949, 147-162. » [Secondary] Huston Smith. “Hope, Yes; Progress, No,” from Forgotten Truth, Harper, 1992 [1976] 118-145. |
| May 4 | BREAK |
| May 11 | 5. History and Myth Readings: » [Primary] Eugen Rosenstock-Huessy, Out of Revolution. “Articulating Periods and Coordinating Memories,” Berg, 1969, 689-707. » [Secondary] Norman Fiering. “Heritage vs. History: ERH as a “Physician of Memory,” from Understanding Rosenstock-Huessy, 60-93. |
| May 18 | 6. Vis-à-vis the Sciences – History and the Irreducible Readings: » [Primary] Gianbattista Vico; Georg Hegel; Karl Marx » [Secondary] Spengler, Toynbee, McNeil, Hayden White |
| May 25 | 7. Big History, Deep History and Other Idioscopic Ventures Readings: [Primary] [Secondary] |
| June 1 | 8. The Only Scripture That Tells a Story Readings: [Primary]. From St. Augustine. City of God, …. [Secondary] |
Registration is Closed
Pricing Comparison
| Standard price | Basic Lyceum Enrollment | Advanced Lyceum Enrollment | Premium Lyceum Enrollment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benefactor | $200 per seminar | $90 | 3 seminars included $90 after | 8 seminars included $90 after |
| Patron | $135 per seminar | $65 | 3 seminars included $65 after | 8 seminars included $65 after |
| Participant | $60 per seminar | $40 | 3 seminars included $40 after | 8 seminars included $40 after |
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