COURSE INTRODUCTION (2 of 3)

Where do we find constructive help in this difficult journey into ourselves? We can turn to the great artists, writers, thinkers, statesmen and scientists throughout history who have communicated their heightened sense of awareness through their lives' work. They have tried to awaken us to a higher view of ourselves through artistic forms and significant deeds. Their examples can make clear to us that we have more than just five senses. We can go beyond our material senses to deeper levels of cognition. We all have dormant organs of finer perception which have always been cultivated by leading Human Beings throughout history. If we can understand and absorb their insights, we can ourselves participate more completely in the great creative force that drives humankind forward and upward.

So often what we search for is to be found right in front of our noses. It is the same with life itself. It's like a game of hide-and-seek that we play with the self we know and the self we are trying to find. And the method that we can use is also right before us in our own great culture and tradition. It is only a matter of learning how to "see better" as the loyal Earl of Kent implores Shakespeare's King Lear.

Believing that the crisis in education and our society is related to a lack of inspiration in the study of Liberal Arts, a group of educators organized and tested a curriculum which unifies topics in the Humanities by the inspirational theme, "Know Thyself!" The self-developmental thrust of Educate Yourself for Tomorrow goes beyond the conventional approach to the Humanities found in colleges and universities today. For example, undergraduates study the doctrines and ideas of Plato. In contrast, our curriculum redirects the focus of study to the process of self-knowledge using Plato's Symposium as a catalyst. Self-knowledge is the goal. Plato is the guide.

Each of the works selected by our faculty has been approached similarly. The material draws on the reader's experience rather than on an abstract interest in learning or in obtaining good grades. The motivation is to uncover secrets about ourselves. Take a careful look at the course descriptions and you will find that a major premise of Educate Yourself for Tomorrow is that no single body of knowledge or art has a monopoly on wisdom. The program therefore synthesizes the great insights, whether conveyed by a gifted artist through painting, poetry, or music, or by a great leader through political actions. Such diverse material is coordinated by the faculty's understanding of the importance of love and personal freedom in the healthy education of the SELF. Through spiritual insights this attitude integrates this survey of the Humanities.

At the end of each lecture/guide are questions soliciting the reader's own ideas, questions and impressions. Important insights are gained through questioning. You are encouraged to contribute your own insights by writing an essay about the material studied. Also, it is through the responses and essay writing that course work is evaluated for academic credit.