The Seminar

In Seminar you read, reflect on, and discuss great books from the world’s various philosophical, spiritual, and literary traditions. 

The Seminar serves as a gateway to the college academic experience. Guided by experienced DRBU faculty, you will cultivate close reading, critical thinking, and effective communication skills in a supportive classroom environment. You will learn to ask the questions that are important to you, and to explore the questions that are important to others.

Summer 2025 Seminars:

What is Happiness?

The ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle, explored the concept of eudaimonia, often translated as ‘happiness,’ but better understood as a deep state of well-being that goes beyond simple pleasure or contentment. The Buddha spoke of joy attained through spiritual practice, but cautioned against becoming attached to fleeting pleasures. As young people today report increased levels of anxiety and depression, the question of what it means to live a happy and fulfilling life is more pressing than ever. In this seminar, we’ll examine insights from philosophers, writers, and spiritual thinkers across centuries as we seek to understand the nature of happiness.

Example Readings:

• • Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
  • The Art of Happiness by the Dalai Lama
  • Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman 
  • Selected Poems of Mary Oliver

What is Wisdom?

Throughout history, wisdom has been extolled as a necessary virtue for thinkers and leaders who aimed to contribute to the betterment of human society. The word ‘philosophy’ itself originates from the ancient Greek for ‘love of wisdom.’ But what is wisdom and where does it come from? The Greeks proposed that wisdom came from knowledge of the self. Christian thinkers such as St. Augustine believed that wisdom came directly from God. Confucius stated that wisdom came from Experience. In this course, through careful reflection and thoughtful discussion, we will explore the ways we might understand and cultivate wisdom in our lives today.

Example Readings:

• • The Analects by Confucius
  • The Desert Fathers: Sayings of the Early Christian Monks 
  • The Heart Sutra 
  • The Bhagavad Gita

What is Freedom?

Give me liberty or give me death! Freedom is a foundational value of the modern Western world. We take it for granted that freedom is our natural state, and is restricted only by historical precedent and unjust policies and practices. But what does it mean to be truly free? Does it mean possessing the agency to exert one’s will, to act, speak, and think without restraint? How do we know when we are free? Does freedom exist solely in our relationship to other beings or to society as a whole, or is there a freedom that exists in our relationship to ourselves? In this course we will examine the evolution of the concept of freedom, as well as its treatment in various discourses, with the aim of better understanding what it means to be free.

Example Readings:

• • Yoga Sutras by Patanjali 
  • A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf 
  • Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass
  • Ten Foot Square Hut by Kamo no Chomei