Was the Fall of Rome a Good Thing?

By Sheldon Greaves There is a lot of talk these days comparing the United States to the late Roman Empire. Like Rome, we are an empire, which people more freely acknowledge than they did even ten years ago. There is … Continue reading

Contemplating the Monastic Option

Some of my recent reading has been some very interesting material by Morris Berman, an author who is new to me and, I find that I have been missing something. His work is well-considered, well-sourced, and easier to read than … Continue reading

On Slow Reading Seminars

It’s long past time that I describe an extended experiment in group learning conducted over the last few years. The setting was Christ Church Episcopal in Portola Valley, California, where my spouse and I were Scholars in Residence, conducting seminars … Continue reading

A Question on the Link Between Education and Democracy

By Sheldon   Over the weekend I ran across a very interesting interview with Noam Chomsky on the future of democracy and education in the 21st century. Chomsky is one of America’s leading intellectuals, but on matters of education he … Continue reading

Why General Ed Classes Could Save You

General Education was designed to help students gain the ability to appreciate life, but when life kind of sucks because you don’t know how you’re going to pay the bills or where your life is going, it really is amazing how immersing oneself in some excellent creativity can nurture the soul.

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