Topical Seminars is a monthly series of seminars based upon essays whose topics include philosophy, the arts and literature, science, politics, economics, communications, and much more. Participants are asked to read an essay chosen by the facilitation team and then submit a written response in advance of each session. The group then meets for a lively discussion on the posted piece and on the participants’ responses to it.

Essays are available for reading at our website a month in advance. Responses are due no later than the day before each meeting and are also posted on the website. For more information, contact David White, facilitation team member.

This month we will discuss what are the principal factors shaping history? Is it great leaders, important battles, new technologies, the clash of economic systems, or something else? No matter how you answer these questions, underneath it all is the immense power of ideas. Arguably, ideas and concepts such as liberty, the scientific method, autonomy, democracy, capitalism, and others have done more to shape human history than any single event or person, with each radically altering how societies organize themselves, what they value, and how they envision the future. Important ideas shape our laws, our institutions, our place in the world, and define our sense of what is possible. If you had to identify one single idea as the most influential in all of history-for good or for ill-what would it be, and how would you defend its paramount importance in shaping the world we inhabit today?

Registration is requested.

Topics for 2025-26 are:

September 10 | Cryptocurrency
October 8 | Comedy
November 12 | The Power of an Idea  
December 10 | A Personal Response to the Concept of Wisdom
January 14 | Pursuit of Happiness and American Identity 
February 11 | The Great Political Realignment 
March 11 | Romanticism
April 8 | Community and Technocracy  
May 13 | Rewritten Masterpieces 
June 10 | Reflections on this year's Topical Seminars programs and thoughts for the future