The Great Philosophers

In this follow-on Osher lecture series, we will join
philosophy professor Peter Bolland for another
engaging, relevant and vivid exploration of 20 of
the most influential philosophers in the Western
tradition from Socrates to Camus. His first lecture in
the series (on Thursday, July 25, 2024) on Socrates
is available in the Osher online library. Each lecture
and discussion session is designed as a stand-
alone event, but in sequence they are even better,
as connections and intersections come to life.
Don’t miss this opportunity to study the greatest
philosophical traditions in the Western worldview.

July 7: The Great Philosophers: Augustine

Augustine (354–430) lay on his death bed as the
Vandals lay siege to his town of Hippo in Roman
North Africa. The Roman Empire and its greatest
philosopher were dying together, but their legacies
would live forever. A late convert to Christianity,
Augustine would go on to become its greatest
voice in the early church. He is in many ways the
architect of a Christian theology that would remain
unchallenged for a thousand years. His unparalleled
intellect and prodigious output shaped the medieval
world like no other. No study of Western philosophy
is complete without a study of Augustine’s
lasting impact.

July 21: The Great Philosophers: Thomas Aquinas

Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) was one of the greatest
of the Church Fathers, second only to Augustine
in breadth, depth and impact. While Augustine, a
thousand years earlier, was an unabashed mystic,
even going so far as to distrust reason, Aquinas
found a way to synthesize faith and reason, thereby
ending the ethos of the Middle Ages and ushering
in the Renaissance and all that was to follow. Join
us as we explore Aquinas’ life and philosophical
contributions.