Courses

What does it mean to live well? Is the answer found through reason, self-knowledge, discipline, or simplicity? For centuries, philosophers, psychologists, and spiritual teachers have wrestled with these questions, offering different ideas about wisdom and the life it might make possible. This introductory course explores Eastern and Western philosophical traditions, asking where their ideas converge, where they diverge, and how they might illuminate our own lives. Beginning with Socrates and the examined life, we'll ask whether self-knowledge is truly the beginning of wisdom. We'll turn to Freud and Jung to explore the hidden structure of the psyche, the unconscious, and the enduring search for wholeness. Confucian, Daoist, and Buddhist thinkers then invite us to consider whether living well requires cultivating the self, letting go of ambition, or even questioning the idea of a permanent self. The course ends by returning to modern life with Emerson, asking how inner understanding gives rise to meaningful work, responsible action, and contribution to the wider world.