Wright Great Books After Hours
Adult liberal [arts] education is an indispensable part of the life of leisure, which is a life of learning.
Wright College’s Great Books After Hours is an academic program designed for all students, including older and returning students and Wright College community members who would like to read and discuss great works of literature, philosophy, and religion. In these courses, designed especially for group discussion and “shared inquiry,” students will examine “the best that has been thought and said.”
Great Books After Hours courses are offered one evening a week, from 6:30-9:20pm. Those interested may follow either of two possible tracks: for credit or continuing education.
- The 12-week credit course requires the completion of research papers and take-home exams,
- Alternatively, the course can be taken as two consecutive 6-week Continuing Education classes, meeting at the same time and place as the 12-week credit course. Continuing Ed. courses do not require any outside work except completion of the readings before class time. (Taking two consecutive
continuing ed courses is not required.)
Fall 2019 Courses (Classes Begin Sept. 23rd):
Monday Evenings, 6:30-9:20pm,
Credit Course: Phil 107 OQ9
Continuing Ed Course: Philosophy: Ethics
Literature 211: Shakespeare (Professor Michael Petersen)
Thursday Evenings, 6:30-9:20pm,
Credit Course: Lit. 211 PR9
Continuing Ed Course: Shakespeare
In these classes, students will be asked to consider the well-examined life and the perennial questions about what it means to be human:
- How do individuals know what they know? Are there limitations be to the human ability to think, perceive, and understand?
- What is good and what is evil? Who decides, and by what standards?
- What is the best form of government and the proper relationship between the individual and the state?
- How should the young be educated? Who should control education—parents, students, the state—and what are the goals of education?
- What would a utopian society be like? How do attempts to create utopias often lead to negative consequences?
- Does free will exist or are human lives determined by outside factors?
- What constitutes the good life?
- Is there a Supreme Being? If so, what is this Being’s nature? Does this Being intervene in human affairs? If this Being is good and all-powerful, how can evil exist?
For more information, contact:
Dr. Michael Petersen
English Department, Wright College
773-481-8583
We look forward to the discussions!
