The Useless Life of the Mind

Join us for an exploration of the uses and abuses of the life of the mind, guided by Prof. Zena Hitz’s recent book, Lost in Thought: The Hidden Pleasures of the Intellectual Life. We will examine questions such as: How do leisure and learning contribute to our happiness? What is the Aristotelian virtue of seriousness? How can an intellectual life make for a just society?

This reading group is open to undergraduates, graduate students, and recent alumni. All meetings will be held online.

schedule

  • Thursday, October 29 at 8 PM Eastern: How do leisure and learning contribute to our happiness? (pp. 31–44)

  • Thursday, November 5 at 8 PM Eastern: What good is the intellectual life? (pp. 54–59, 85–87, 101–111)

  • Thursday, November 12 at 8 PM Eastern:  The virtue of seriousness: what do we need to learn well? (132–148)

  • Thursday, November 19 at 8 PM Eastern: How can an intellectual life make for a just society? (175–187)