thomas aquinas

  • Lecture: Broken Minds

    On 29 January 2026, I (Brian Kemple) gave the annual Aquinas Lecture at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This lecture, including Q&A, was recorded and is now available online. Watch on YouTube.

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  • Brian Kemple

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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…

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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 Making Distinctions

    A Philosophical Happy Hour on distinctions, the doctrine of their kinds, and the importance making them correctly. The failure to make good distinctions characterizes the stupidity of our age.  Observe the social networks and see how few distinctions are proposed, how unquestioning the categories, how obstinate every adherent to his or her ideology!  How many…

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  • Catharsis and the Intellectual Life

    In this conversation, Brian Kemple is joined by Daniel Wagner, a Faculty Fellow of the Lyceum Institute, in exploring the motivations behind intellectual pursuits, the significance of classical education, and the contrast between modern and classical educational philosophies. 00:00 – Introduction to Intellectual Pursuits 03:01 – Catharsis, Healing, and Philosophy 06:55 – Understanding Classical Education…

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  • Lecutre: Self-Sufficiency of Happiness in the Nicomachean Ethics

    In 2024, the Lyceum Institute this thoughtful interpretation of a perennial difficulty in interpreting Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, presented by Joseph M. Cherny, PhD Candidate at the Center for Thomistic Studies at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, TX. Mr. Cherny asks: how is happiness self-sufficient? Does it find fulfillment in one good, or a…

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  • On Angelic Beings

    A Philosophical Happy Hour on why we should care about angelic beings and seek understanding of their existence. Nearly every culture in human history has voiced belief in supernatural beings—forces beyond our reckoning that possess powers to shape and change the world.  Indeed, any honest inquiry into the world, the cosmos, shows us wonders beyond…

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  • Lecture: The Analogous Use of Words

    Last year, the Lyceum Instituted hosted Dr. Domenic D’Ettore (Dean, Division of Liberal Studies and professor of Philosophy with the Center for Thomistic Studies at the University of St. Thomas, TX), a careful and insight scholar of the Latin Thomist tradition and an expert on analogy. Drawing on his great expertise, Dr. D’Ettore presents for…

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  • On the Recovery of Time

    A Philosophical Happy Hour exploring the experience of time, its loss, and the possible paths to its recovery. Imagine yourself outdoors and alone—truly alone.  No friends, no family, no strangers.  No living human being in sight, no voice close enough to be heard (or ears to hear).  No phone; no connection to anything but the…

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