January Week 4 - Thoreau

• Read Volume 6 pages 146-165 "Thoreau" by Ralph Waldo Emerson
• Write a discussion question below and favorite quote below
• Do something to deepen your understanding (see ideas below).

Study ideas:
Find a favorite poem by Thoreau or Emerson
Check out photographs of Walden Pond
Look up obscure words in the 1828 dictionary
Visit and explore The Walden Woods Project page
Write your thoughts about this reading - post them on a blog or send the to me for feedback.
Watch one or more of the following videos (or find one of your own about Thoreau or Emerson that interests you:

January Week 3 - The Death of Ivan Ilych

1. Read, understand and take notes on:  Volume 3 pages _____ The Death of Ivan Ilych (you can also find it on livribox)
2. Write a discussion question below
3. Be curious! Learn more about something inspired by this reading, or do something that the reading inspires you to do.

Some ideas:
-Write your thoughts on a blog or paper about what this reading meant to you
-Write your own eulogy - think about what you would like people to say about you after you are gone
-Learn more about Leo Tolstoy and what inspired him to write this work
-Read the Spark notes about this story to gain further insight
-Watch this short video lecture or another video about Tolstoy or his work
-Write a poem or create an art piece about what it means to live

January Week 2 - Perspective

1.Read and take notes on the following:
A.. Seeing with New Eyes by Paul A. Cox
B. Great Books Volume 8 pages 120-146: On Time by Loren Eiseley and The Sunless Sea by Rachel Carson*

*If you do not own the Gateway to the Greatbooks Volume 8, On Time is the chapter called "The Slit" in the book The Immense Journey.  You can read the chapter here.
I cannot find the Sunless Sea online. It is chapter 4 of the Book by Rachel Carson called The Sea Around Us.  It should be on the public domain, so if anyone finds it, let us know!

2.Write a discussion question on the comments below


Some ideas to get you thinking:
-These readings talk about perspective, consider what perspective has to do with the deep sea or with time and then what it has to do with how you see things.
-You might consider studying the word "Perspective"
-I enjoyed looking up the pictures of the animals that Carson mentions in her book.
-As this reading is old, it would be neat of some of you brought some links or pictures (or your own drawings!) of the latest deep sea discoveries.
-If anyone wants to bring and explain something about the study of "time" - we would love to hear it!

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