Philosophy Camp
A couple years ago, I met a guy, Stuart Smithers, who teaches South Asian studies and religion at University of Puget Sound and who has some land and a farm up in Arlington, Washington, and we got to talking about this idea to hold a philosophy camp in the summer, where we would invite people to come out and talk philosophy for a couple days in a pastoral setting.
Well, we never quite got it off the ground, but recently, this spring, we started up discussions again and so now, this weekend, about 20 people are joining us for 2 and a half days of doing meditation, a little yoga, and reading and talking about Schopenhauer, Spinoza, Emerson, and some others.
Neither Stuart nor I are quite sure how the weekend will unfold; worst comes to worse, I’ll get a nice long bike ride today—about 70 miles to the farm—people will be able to enjoy the out of doors and we’ll all share some food and conversation over the next 48 hours or so.
Best case scenario: we all have a profound experience and get re-energized about ideas and dialogue, and come home ready to change the world for the better.
I’ll be happy if my legs hold out on today’s ride.
I am a bit scared and ambivalent about what’s in store; this is one of those things that seemed like a great idea when it was months away but now that it’s here, you’d rather just hang out and drink beer at home all weekend.
Plus it’s Critical Mass tomorrow and I lent a guy my bike trailer so he could tow his 83 year-old grandmother in a chair on it; that I would really like to see.
My horoscope this week, though, said that I should put myself in unusual and uncomfortable situations so I don’t get too complacent; not to take advice from an arbitrary newspaper column, but I guess I’ll see.
Well, we never quite got it off the ground, but recently, this spring, we started up discussions again and so now, this weekend, about 20 people are joining us for 2 and a half days of doing meditation, a little yoga, and reading and talking about Schopenhauer, Spinoza, Emerson, and some others.
Neither Stuart nor I are quite sure how the weekend will unfold; worst comes to worse, I’ll get a nice long bike ride today—about 70 miles to the farm—people will be able to enjoy the out of doors and we’ll all share some food and conversation over the next 48 hours or so.
Best case scenario: we all have a profound experience and get re-energized about ideas and dialogue, and come home ready to change the world for the better.
I’ll be happy if my legs hold out on today’s ride.
I am a bit scared and ambivalent about what’s in store; this is one of those things that seemed like a great idea when it was months away but now that it’s here, you’d rather just hang out and drink beer at home all weekend.
Plus it’s Critical Mass tomorrow and I lent a guy my bike trailer so he could tow his 83 year-old grandmother in a chair on it; that I would really like to see.
My horoscope this week, though, said that I should put myself in unusual and uncomfortable situations so I don’t get too complacent; not to take advice from an arbitrary newspaper column, but I guess I’ll see.
posted by Professor Dave at 11:34 AM
2 Comments:
Schopenhauer, Spinoza and Emerson? And still you have room for "some others". Some weekend. (Did you say the alternative was staying home drinking beer?) Boy, you made the right choice!
If you do it again - some summer when I am not teaching library cataloging online with 58 students - why dontcha invite me out to be your cook? I might even be able to read a little Schopenhauer, Spinoza and Emerson.
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