Bringing Ideas to Life

The guiding principle behind the Institute is that ideas matter, to our society and our individual lives. In America today, philosophy is thought of as often irrelevant to our actual lives. Yet philosophy is and always has been precisely about issues that we all struggle with in the course of our lives: What constitutes a good life? Why is there evil? What does it mean to "be who I really am"? How should we think about death? Are human beings "naturally" competitive and adversarial, or is it just certain kinds of societies which can shape us to be this way?

The philosophers that we study in university classrooms were writing about exactly these kinds of questions. They were explicitly and often passionately trying to say something about human life, about the best way for us all to live.

The word ‘philosophy' in Ancient Greek meant "love of wisdom". The Institute is dedicated to reviving this notion of philosophy as searching for wisdom. When pursued in this way, philosophy can make us more aware of who we are, and of the values according to which we live, values which are often so familiar that we can't even see them without deeper, more sustained questioning and reflection.

For example, a person may be struggling greatly because she can't meet the demands placed on her life by the hours and pace that are required by her employer. It may be, however, that the values and common assumptions surrounding work in our culture are themselves unhealthy. These values might be the culprit, not the person herself. Or she may be living in accordance with ideas and values which are oppressive, or not as conducive to a fulfilling life as others might be, or unclear, or in fundamental conflict with other beliefs she holds. She may be coming up against an inescapable aspect of the human condition, and not see it as such. In these and other cases, philosophical reflection can be crucial in identifying the deeper cause of the problem. Once we realize the importance of philosophy for our lives, we can then grow, as individuals and as a society, by exploring our incredibly rich heritage of over 2,000 years of philosophical thought—from Plato and Aristotle through Nietzsche, Heidegger and beyond--about some of the most fundamental questions of our human condition.

The Institute offers a variety

of programs, including

classes, individual instruction

dialogue (for a more focused

look at issues of particular

concern to you), 3-day

weekend sessions for

out-of-towners, and guest

speakers. It is also possible

to bring the Institute to you,

by arranging a talk or

weekend in your hometown

or corporation.