Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
The Great Philosophers
Speaker
Professor Peter Bolland
Coordinator
Steve Clarey
July 7: David Hume (Please note this is a Tuesday afternoon class.)
Another of the British Empiricists, Scottish philosopher David Hume (1711–1776) took Locke’s work to its logical conclusion and shocked the philosophical world in the process. Known as skepticism, Hume’s philosophy openly questioned the existence of God, a radical stance in the early 18th century. Under Hume’s scalpel, no sacred cow was safe—not science, not reason, not theology, not even the existence of the soul. Join us for an inquiry into the brilliant, beloved, and unorthodox mind of David Hume.
July 20: Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) took it upon himself to repair the rift between rationalism and empiricism in startling ways, and we’ve been arguing about whether or not he pulled it off ever since. But he left behind a towering body of work upon which all modern philosophy is built. Particularly impactful is the way he grounded moral philosophy in metaphysics. Ethical determinations, he argued, are best anchored to logical calculations instead of being left to the vagaries of the heart. Morality, he claimed, was our birthright and our moral obligation. Join us in this inquiry to learn just how much of our modern worldview is rooted in the philosophy of Kant.
August 3: Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill
No two names are more associated with the influential ethical theory of Utilitarianism that Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832) and his protégé John Stuart Mill (1806–1873). Attempting to bring scientific rigor to the messy business of morality, Bentham and Mill left a lasting legacy in the way we govern and legislate our collective decisions and navigate our personal moral calculations. Learn how Utilitarianism made modern rights movements possible, including women’s rights, animal rights and the rights of LGBTQ+ people. Whether you know it or not, you may already be a Utilitarian.
Another of the British Empiricists, Scottish philosopher David Hume (1711–1776) took Locke’s work to its logical conclusion and shocked the philosophical world in the process. Known as skepticism, Hume’s philosophy openly questioned the existence of God, a radical stance in the early 18th century. Under Hume’s scalpel, no sacred cow was safe—not science, not reason, not theology, not even the existence of the soul. Join us for an inquiry into the brilliant, beloved, and unorthodox mind of David Hume.
July 20: Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) took it upon himself to repair the rift between rationalism and empiricism in startling ways, and we’ve been arguing about whether or not he pulled it off ever since. But he left behind a towering body of work upon which all modern philosophy is built. Particularly impactful is the way he grounded moral philosophy in metaphysics. Ethical determinations, he argued, are best anchored to logical calculations instead of being left to the vagaries of the heart. Morality, he claimed, was our birthright and our moral obligation. Join us in this inquiry to learn just how much of our modern worldview is rooted in the philosophy of Kant.
August 3: Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill
No two names are more associated with the influential ethical theory of Utilitarianism that Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832) and his protégé John Stuart Mill (1806–1873). Attempting to bring scientific rigor to the messy business of morality, Bentham and Mill left a lasting legacy in the way we govern and legislate our collective decisions and navigate our personal moral calculations. Learn how Utilitarianism made modern rights movements possible, including women’s rights, animal rights and the rights of LGBTQ+ people. Whether you know it or not, you may already be a Utilitarian.
Speaker Bio
Presenter: Peter Bolland is Professor of Philosophy and Humanities at Southwestern College, where he has taught world religions, Asian philosophy and world mythology for over 30 years. He is the author of The Seven Stone Path: An Everyday Journey to Wisdom and a frequent speaker at lifelong learning communities and spiritual centers around the country. He earned an MA at San Diego State University. Learn more at www.peterbolland.com.
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