​In this eight session course Leon Wieseltier will teach The Guide of the Perplexed.

​Sessions will be held on Sundays from 2:00 – 3:00 PM EST on zoom and in person and will take place on April 12, April 19, April 26, May 3, not on May 10 but May 17, May 24, May 31, and June 7.

​The course is open to Liberties subscribers only. For those who are interested and are not subscribers, the fee for the entire seminar is $50 (which will come with a subscription) and can be purchased here.

​We will be using the Shlomo Pines translation of the Guide. It is available in hard copy and e-book on our Bookshop store.

​One way of confronting our crisis of truth is to investigate the thought of deep and fearless thinkers for whom truth was a plausible goal to be rigorously pursued and error was not merely the expression of a different view but an impediment to a proper understanding of existence and its meanings. Composed in the late twelfth century by the most brilliant mind in the history of Judaism, The Guide of the Perplexed is much more than a philosophy of Judaism; it is the record of an honest mind inquiring into the very foundations; a saga of reason's adventures in a world of unreason; a workbook of problems and methods for the careful search for what may be true; a training in the sensitivity to language and its limits; a grand experiment in bringing science together with metaphysics; a lasting challenge to both believers and unbelievers —  in sum, a medieval excitement for a cynical and sloppy and cruel post-modernity. Its intellectual refreshments are endless. In eight sessions, we will read and discuss the work's main themes, so that a picture emerges of a worldview that brings philosophy and religion into a profound engagement with each other. 

​Each session will last an hour; weekly readings will be expected of participants; no language except English is required, though participants who would also like to read the texts in their canonical Hebrew translation are most welcome.

​The text is available for purchase in print and e-book on Liberties' Bookshop store here.

​FAQs

• ​How long is the course?

  • ​This seminar series includes 8 hourlong sessions at 2pm ET on Sunday afternoons. The dates are:

    • ​April 12

    • ​April 19

    • ​April 26

    • ​May 3

    • ​May 17

    • ​May 24

    • ​May 31

    • ​June 7

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• ​How much does the course cost?

  • ​The course is open to annual Liberties subscribers, included in the price of your subscription. If you wish to enroll in the seminar and are not yet a Liberties subscriber, the cost of the course is $50 and includes a subscription. For active military, government employees, students and educators, and nonprofit employees, a discounted subscription and the opportunity to enroll in this series and future seminars is available for $45.

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• ​I'm not based in DC. Can I still enroll?

  • ​Yes! The series will be hybrid, held simultaneously in the Liberties offices in Washington, DC and online on Zoom.

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• ​I'm not a subscriber, but I want to enroll in the course. What do I do?

  • ​Prior to enrolling in the course on Luma, please pay the fee for the course by purchasing an annual subscription here. Once you have confirmation that your purchase went through, enroll on Luma and we will approve your admission to the course!

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• ​How will I hear about the course after enrolling? Will there be additional Luma events I need to register for?

  • ​Further details about the course closer to the first seminar, such as the syllabus and Zoom link, will be shared via email. Once you've registered for this Luma event, you will be on the email list for all 8 sessions of this seminar.

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• ​Are there any required course materials?

  • ​Yes, in order to fulfill the reading requirements for each session, you must have the Shlomo Pines translation of Guide of the Perplexed. There are two volumes, both available for purchase in hard copy or e-book on Liberties' Bookshop store.