January Week 1 - John Stuart Mill Autobiography

This class will be on January 9th.  Having just finished "An invitation to Pain" by Adler, I decided to make this reading a "painful" one. We will be reading Volume 6 pages 1-47 John Stuart Mill's "Childhood and Youth" from Autobiography. (Chapters 1-3 on the link). DO NOT TRY TO READ IT IN ONE SITTING. You will want to start on it very soon and read 3-4 pages a day. I especially want you to focus and understand pages 23-35. You will probably have to look up quite a few words (I did - I almost gave up on it a couple of times, but I am glad I didn't) and re-read a lot of paragraphs.   

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Here are some ideas to help you study this reading:

-Understand the following terms: Deism, Stoic, Epicurean, Cynic, Jeremy Bentham and Benthamism, Utilitarianism, English liberalism.

-Seek answers to some of the following questions:

• Throughout your reading, it would be helpful to have a paper with 4 columns - write on top: Books/disciplines, methods, events/experiences, people - then take notes under those headings of the things that influenced his education

1. What books and disciplines did Mill study from ages 0-8? 8-12? In his teens?
2. What were his methods of study during those times?
3. What were important events/experiences in his education?
4. Who were important influences on him? (people) Why?

• How did his father feel about religion? (pg 23-27) Why? What WERE his moral convictions? (pg 27-29)
• How do you feel about these moral convictions?  What do you agree or disagree with? Why? (this question would make a very interesting paper! I hope someone takes it on!)
• What was his view of tolerance? Of how to educate?
• What did Mill adopt as his "religion"? Why? (pg 36-38)
• How did his "profession" help him or hinder him in his education? (pg 45-47)

November week 4 - An Invitation to Pain

• Read: An Invitation to Pain by Adler
• Read: chapter 7 of  The Problem of Pain by C. S. Lewis
• Bring your notes to class
• Write a discussion question below

November Week 3 - The Sacred Beetle

1. Read The Sacred Beetle by Henri Fabre - Volume 8 pages 94-96 and 105-119
I loved this reading! I hope you guys have as much fun as I did :-) (If you are reading it online - the link takes you to the entire book, just read chapter 1)
*if you have time you can also read A Laboratory of the Open Fields by the same author (pages 97-104).
2. Read Earth In the Beginning Chapter 6 - The Spirit Earth is Created
3. Write a favorite quote and discussion question below

November Week 2 - A Plea for Captain John Brown

-Read A Plea for Captain John Brown - Great Books Volume 6 pages 714-746 and bring your notes to class.
-Post a question below by Tuesday at 9pm

November Week 1 - Civil Disobedience

Read Volume 6 pages 691-713 Civil Disobedience by Thoreau - (also online here - read the intro and all 3 parts)

Take notes, bring them to class,  and write a discussion question below.

October Week 4 - Inner Ring

Read The Inner Ring by C.S. Lewis.  Bring your notes to class.

Write: a quote and discussion question on the comments below

October Week 3 - Darwin

Do the following:
Read: Pages 43-93 of Volume 8 Charles Darwin Autobiography. This is long, so don’t save it till the last minute – it is so worth reading! Bring your notes.
Read: Chapter 11 of Earth: In the Beginning. Did the Simple Produce the Complex?
Write: a quote and discussion question on the comments below

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October Week 2 - Civilization

CIVILIZATION by Francois Guizot
 
Do all of the following:

• Do a Word Study on the Word: Civilization
• Read: Pages 299-317 of Volume 6: Civilization.
• Post a discussion question in the comments below