Report on TOC’s Graduate Seminar
I just posted this to the OWL discussion group. My paper on “Mindfulness and Objectivism” was well-received, and generated interest in the topic from several participants. Once I finish my revisions, I’ll post a link to the final version of my paper here on Mudita Journal.
Eyal Mozes asked:
[H]as anyone on OWL been to TOC’s Graduate Seminar last week? I would very much like to see a report about it.
I was at the Graduate Seminar, and I thought it was terrific.
The setting at Marist college was beautiful, and the townhouse-style accommodations (with A/C) were quite comfortable.
The quantity and quality of interaction with David Kelley was very useful. I’ve long been an admirer of his thinking, and the graduate seminar allowed me to, among other things, get answers to some pressing questions on my mind.
There were nine graduate students, total, all but two of whom were in philosophy. Some of the discussions of metaphysics and epistemology were rather beyond my realm of expertise, as a psychologist, but it was often still enjoyable to sit in for the discussions.
Probably the strongest aspect of the curriculum was the chance to get in-depth feedback, from David and Will and from the other graduate students, on our writing. These discussions were well-grounded in the goal of writing Objectivist ideas clearly and effectively, and I suspect we all benefited from them.
I was blown away by the revisions to the Logical Structure of Objectivism that we discussed during the seminar. David and Will’s long-term goal is to re-write the current beta draft for a broader, slightly less technical, audience. Apparently they’ve only had time to do this for one chapter so far, but I was very impressed by how much more clear and accessible that revised chapter was, compared to the original.
(I believe the new version of the book, once it’s done, could be a remarkable contribution to Objectivism and the Objectivist movement. Additional funding would, of course, help free up staff time to complete the book. I hope some sponsors will step forward soon to help make this happen � and I’d enjoy talking with anyone who is considering doing so.)
The most powerful aspect of the seminar for me was the opportunity to network with other graduate students. Their intelligence, independence, and benevolence made it an incredible week � more stimulating, by far, than an entire semester of graduate school. I found myself feeling closer to Objectivism than I sometimes have in recent years. There was a good feeling of camaraderie, and naturally some of the best discussions took place long after class had ended for the day.
I feel like I gained a good working relationship with David, Will, and the other students � and the assurance that I can draw upon them whenever my professional or intellectual activities would benefit from it.
I think the long-term impact of these seminars could be very positive for the movement, as more and more young professional intellectuals get the chance to network with one another inside the framework of Objectivism. My one suggestion for improvement, next year, would be to have more of the discussions planned, either in a semi-lecture or exercise-oriented format, so they’re more structured and paced. But this was the first time the seminar had been given, and Will (who coordinated the seminar) was in full agreement about the desirability of incorporating more structure in future versions.
It sounds like there’s an excellent chance that there will be another Grad Seminar next year. I strongly recommend it to any graduate (or soon-to-be-graduate) student with a serious interest in Objectivism.
