Premise Institute Classes Online

$125

3 sessions

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When, If Ever, Can Violence be Justified?

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“I think there are plenty of good people in America, but there are also plenty of bad people in America and the bad ones are the ones who seem to have all the power and be in these positions to block things that you and I need. Because this is the situation, you and I have to preserve the right to do what is necessary to bring an end to that situation, and it doesn't mean that I advocate violence, but at the same time, I am not against using violence...

All levels 18 and older

$100

3 sessions

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Exploring the Impact of Environment on identity

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Full Course: How does place shape us? Exploring the impact of environment on identity. Our relationship with our surroundings is a fundamental aspect of human experience. From the natural world to the built environment, the places we inhabit shape our perceptions, behavior, and sense of self. This course will delve into the philosophical questions surrounding the impact of place on personal identity, exploring how our relationship with the environment...

All levels 18 and older

$125

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Can Thinking About Death Lead to a Good Life?

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Why spend time thinking and talking about death? Won’t this class be so depressing? What makes life worth living in the face of death? Is denying death or paying our mortality lip service the best we can hope for? Death is one of the few absolute commonalities that we share. As a universal event, death transcends differences between us. We have a beginning and an end; we are born, and we inevitably die. How is it possible that most of us get...

All levels 18 and older

$100

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What's the Purpose of Education?

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In this two-session course, we invite participants, especially educators, to embark on an exploration of the question: "What is the true purpose of education?" Throughout our facilitated conversation, we will dig into the dual potential of education as a liberating force and a tool of oppression, guided by key insights from renowned educational theorists and philosophers. We invite you to grapple with the philosophical questions that underlie our...

All levels 18 and older

$50

2 sessions

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Exploring the Transformative Nature of Aging

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Full Course: Who are we becoming? Exploring the Transformative Nature of Aging on our Identity & Community In this class session, we will explore the complex relationship between aging, personal identity, and transformation by considering the ways in which each stage of life brings its unique set of experiences and challenges that shape our understanding of ourselves and our relationship with the world around us. As we journey through the various...

All levels 18 and older

$35

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What is the Essence of Technology?

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Full Course: What is the Essence of Technology? How does Technology Inform the Human Condition? In this class session, we will explore Martin Heidegger's philosophical essay "The Question Concerning Technology" and watch the film "Her" directed by Spike Jonze. This foundational work and the thought-provoking film will provide a basis for understanding the complex relationship between technology and humanity throughout the series. Heidegger's essay...

All levels 18 and older

$35

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What's Real?

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Full Course Title: What's real? How do our perceptions inform our understanding of reality? In Gabriel Garcia Marquez's masterpiece "One Hundred Years of Solitude," we are taken on a journey through the history of the Buendia family and the town of Macondo. Through the family's triumphs and tragedies, we witness the cyclical nature of time and the themes of solitude, memory, and the search for meaning in life. Marquez's use of magical realism challenges...

All levels 18 and older

$35

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Our Inner Lives and the Spaces We Inhabit

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Full Course Title: What is the relationship between our inner lives and the spaces we inhabit? In this first session, we will explore the foundational work The Poetics of Space by Gaston Bachelard. Bachelard's work provides an excellent starting point for our exploration, as it delves into the ways in which our surroundings impact our personal identity and emotions. The philosophical concepts introduced in this book will lay the groundwork for...

All levels 18 and older

$35

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How Do Our Choices Reflect What We Value in our Lives?

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How Do Our Choices at Life's End Reflect What We Value During Our Lives? In this sixth installment of our seven-part series, "Does Thinking About Death Lead to a Good Life?", we invite you to delve into the exploration of life, death, and the human experience through Atul Gawande's non-fiction work 'Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End'. Reading for this Class: Atul Gawande's 'Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End' ...

All levels 18 and older

$35

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If We Had Infinite Time, Would Life Still Have Meaning? Aging As A Transformative Experience

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(Note: If you’ve missed any session of this series, fear not! We organize the series such that missing a class session or joining mid-way through doesn’t feel disjointed. The series registration cost is reduced to reflect the number of remaining sessions.) In our third session of "Are We Who We've Always Been?", we'll examine the role of time in shaping our identity. What would life and its meaning look like if we weren't bound by time? Our...

All levels 18 and older

$35

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Mortality and the Pursuit of a Meaningful Life

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Join us in a rich exploration of life, death, and the human experience through Aldous Huxley's thought-provoking novel 'After Many a Summer Dies the Swan'. Delve into the tension between the pursuit of immortality and the moral considerations that shape a well-lived life. Uncover profound insights on mortality, ethical living, and the significance of accepting death as a natural part of life.

All levels 18 and older