Philosophy, Psychology, and Religion
- Expresses Complex Ideas
- Debates Conflicting Perspectives
- Provides Historic Contexts
These courses explore life’s greatest questions by discussing classic and modern philosophers, psychology, and world religions. They develop skills to express complex ideas, challenge orthodoxy, and expose underlying assumptions.
Comparative Religion: From Christianity to Confucianism
Navigate the theory of religion and examine the ideals of six world religions.
Cultivating Mindfulness and Compassion in Today's World
To counter modern-day life’s intrusions upon our attention and humanity, explore the principles and practices of mindfulness and compassion.
Dreaming: Its Psychology, Its Meaning
Explore Western culture’s psychological theories of dreaming, and look at current research about how dreaming functions and what it means.
Judaism and Christian Origins
Explore the period that led to the emergence of Christianity and Second Temple Judaism—its history, literature, and religious communities.
Plato's Republic
Study Plato’s Republic, a work of monumental scope and significance that presents his conception of the ideal city-state.
Sin and Sex in the Biblical World
Examine human relationships in the Bible and the ancient world, including gender roles, power, forbidden sexuality, and consequences for deviation.
The Philosophy of Art
Explore timeless questions about art from a philosophical perspective: What is the significance of art? How is it meant to be understood?
Women in the Ancient Near East
Explore the varied ways that the position of women was defined in the ancient Near East, including in Israel, Mesopotamia, Babylon, and Sumer.
Philosophy as a Guide to Spiritual Life
Consider some ways that philosophy distinguishes itself from religion as a guide to spiritual life.
Tibetan Meditation: Bringing Meaning to Every Moment
Explore how the Mahayana Buddhist concepts of compassion and wisdom can serve as the basis for a healthy, happy, and meaningful life.
From Apocalypse to Zombie: The End of the World in Religion, History, and Culture
Explore how religion, art, and popular culture have reflected humanity’s fears of the end of time throughout history.
Art, Artists, and Madness
Discover various psychological approaches to art and artists throughout history, and explore the psychology of three iconic artists.
East Meets West: Major Thinkers of India and China
Discover how Eastern philosophy confronts many of the same existential questions found in the West.
Hannah Arendt: A Philosopher in Dark Times
Read and discuss Arendt’s work, and discover her continued relevance to contemporary political, moral, and intellectual life.
Human Rights: Relativism and Universalism
Explore the conflicting philosophies surrounding the expansion of human rights and the repercussions of this debate in contemporary issues.
Introduction to the New Testament
Explore the New Testament in light of historical, sociological, and literary contexts, both ancient and contemporary.
Introduction to the Old Testament: From Psalms to Chronicles
Examine the “writings,” the last part of the Hebrew Bible, within historical, sociological, and literary contexts.
Psychology and Religion
Explore the contributions that psychology, and particularly psychoanalysis, can make to an understanding of religion.
Religion and Literature
Explore themes—love, death, evil, suffering, and forgiveness—across religious and literary texts from the Western canon and beyond.