What IS Symposium Great Books Institute?
Symposium is dedicated to building communities of adult learners engaged in a lifelong Socratic, liberal education through the unhurried conversational reading of the great books, whether literature, philosophy, history, mathematics and natural science, or great works of fine art.
Small groups of avid learners meet weekly to work together through challenging material we take to be the finest occasions for liberal education. These groups are, as it were, peer assemblies, a meeting of equals, actively engaged in their own learning rather than passive consumers of ‘edutainment’. Seminar leaders are experienced guides that help the conversation stay on track. There are no academic prerequisites to join a seminar.
Symposium is right for you if you value:
- Lifelong learning: you believe learning should not end when schooling ends and degrees are attained.
- Serious Conversation: you are drawn to a conversational approach to learning.
- Direct experience: you’d like to develop your own opinions about the great books based on your own direct experience.
- Reading: you read not only for entertainment, but also, or even especially, for betterment and knowledge.
- Structure and accountability: you benefit from having a standing weekly meeting that sets the pace for reading, listening and study.
- Taking your time: you’re not in school anymore. What’s the rush?
- Primary sources: you want the real story about ‘man’s search for meaning’…not the pre-digested textbook version (nor the AI generated summary).
- Hard, fresh thinking: you’re just not satisfied with pat formulas and easy answers.
- Friendship and collegiality: Friendship is a necessary ingredient in learning. You don’t have to go it alone.
Our unhurried, conversational reading program is open to all who have a will to learn. To join, become a quarterly or annual subscriber. Each subscription gives readers access to all groups, monthly one-on-one liberal arts consultations and more. We also offer free seminars as well.
View our Quarterly Seminar Prospectus for 2024 below – and click on links provided to find out more about each offering.
Seminar Prospectus
2024
Year-long online learning opportunities:
January – December 2024
A Year of the Dumb Ox – Beginning the Summa Theologica
January – December 2024
How the ancients speak to us: a slow reading of Dante’s Inferno
January – September 2024 (34 Sessions)
On Seeing Whole: An Introduction to the Great Books (FREE SERIES)
~ Read one great book every two months ~ Starts January 2024
CONTINUING Groups:
Learning Latin through reading Vergil (Monday evenings)
Intermediate Homeric Greek (Sunday evenings)
January – March 2024
First Quarter Slow Reading Pathways, Online Weekly Seminars
Rousseau, Second Discourse on the Origin of Inequality (Sun)
Jacob Klein’s Greek Mathematical Thought and the Origin of Algebra (Mondays)
Bach Listening Studio: WTC and Keyboard Music (Tuesdays)
Jose Ortega y Gasset’s Revolt of the Masses (Tues Afternoons)
Shakespeare’s Sonnets (Wednesdays)
The Plays of Shakespeare: Cymbeline (Wednesdays)
Human Happiness: Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics (Thursdays)
Euclid’s Elements (Greek Mathematics)(Thursdays)
Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason (Fridays)
April – June 2024
Second Quarter Slow Reading Pathways, Online Weekly Seminars
New! Back to Beginnings: Spinoza, Theological-Political Treatise (Sun)
Klein’s Greek Mathematical Thought and the Origin of Algebra (Mondays)
New!Crosscurrents: Great Art, Music and Literature
New!Great Books of Iberia: Santayana, “The Last Puritan”; George Orwell, “Homage to Catalonia” (Tuesdays)
New! Homer’s Iliad (Tuesday evenings, through September)
Shakespeare’s Sonnets (Wednesdays)
New! The Plays of Shakespeare: As You Like It(Wednesdays)
Human Happiness: Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics (Thursdays)
Euclid’s Elements (Mathematics and Natural Science) (Thursdays)
Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason (Fridays)
July – September 2024
Third Quarter Slow Reading Pathways, Online Weekly Seminars
New! Back to Beginnings: Maimonides’ Guide for the Perplexed (Sun evening)
New!Arc of Modernity with the Great Books of Iberia (Tues Afternoons)
Homer’s Iliad (Continuing Tuesday evenings)
Shakespeare’s Sonnets (Wednesdays)
New! The Plays of Shakespeare: King Lear(Wednesdays, through December)
Human Happiness: Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics (Thursdays)
New! Greek Tragedy: Aeschylus, The Oresteia Trilogy (Thursdays)
Euclid’s Elements (Mathematics and Natural Science)(Thursdays)
Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason (Fridays)
October – December 2024
Fourth Quarter Slow Reading Pathways, Online Weekly Seminars (updates coming soon)
New! Back to Beginnings: Genesis and Exodus (Sun evening)
New! Euclid’s Elements (Book 1) (Mathematics and Natural Science) (Mon)
New!Bach Listeners’ Studio: The Brandenburg Concertos (Tues)
Shakespeare’s Sonnets (Wed)
The Plays of Shakespeare: King Lear (Wed afternoon + evening)
Human Happiness: Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics (Thurs)
Euclid’s Elements (Book 5+) (Mathematics and Natural Science) (Thurs evening)
Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason (Fri)
“Excellent discussions, careful thinking.”
-Michael S.
“I am grateful to all the serious people reading thoughtfully in both of my reading pathways. And being politely considerate of each other’s opinion though not afraid to voice even acutely divergent interpretations. I’ve also enjoyed how the Sappho reading pathway (Greek and Roman Lyric poetry) sometimes probe and speculate beyond the immediate confines of the text, which help make sense of the fragmentary nature of the poetry.”
– APJ
“I have most enjoyed the observations of the group members about this text, and the challenge of integrating all the ideas expressed from the sessions. My Odyssey pathway is a wonderful group with participants who have so many varied and interesting viewpoints. A wonderful service you provide.”
– Denise V.
Single Book Pathways, Thematic Reading, and Ancient Language Courses
Crosscurrents: Art, Music and Literature in Conversation
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Homer’s Iliad
- 1 Students
- 0 Lessons
Greek Mathematical Thought and the Origin of Algebra
- 0 Students
- 0 Lessons
How the ancients speak to us: Dante’s “Inferno”
- 0 Students
- 0 Lessons
A Year of Thomas: Beginning the Summa Theologica
- 0 Students
- 0 Lessons
Introduction to the Great Books: On Seeing Whole
- 0 Students
- 0 Lessons
History and Political Philosophy
- 0 Students
- 0 Lessons
Mathematics and Natural Sciences
- 0 Students
- 0 Lessons
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“Excellent discussions, careful thinking.”
-Michael S.
“I am grateful to all the serious people reading thoughtfully in both of my reading pathways. And being politely considerate of each other’s opinion though not afraid to voice even acutely divergent interpretations. I’ve also enjoyed how the Sappho reading pathway (Greek and Roman Lyric poetry) sometimes probe and speculate beyond the immediate confines of the text, which help make sense of the fragmentary nature of the poetry.”
– APJ
“I have most enjoyed the observations of the group members about this text, and the challenge of integrating all the ideas expressed from the sessions. My Odyssey pathway is a wonderful group with participants who have so many varied and interesting viewpoints. A wonderful service you provide.”
– Denise V.