ATR Review - Adler's Great Ideas Program, 10 volume set

My review of the 10 volume set of the Great Ideas Program by Mortimer J. Adler. Set includes: Introduction to a Liberal Education, Development of Political Theory and Government; Science and Mathematics; Religion and Theology; Philosophy of Law and Jurisprudence; Imaginative Literature 1 & 2; Study of Moral Values; Biology, Psychology, and Medicine; Philosophy

[moxie]

Hey Red, I so appreciate your review of Adler's Great Ideas Program. I always desired to work my way through the Great Western Books, but 50-something volumes had always been rather daunting. But, getting my hands on this 10 volume set encourages me to complete a disciplined self-education program. Amazon had one full hardback set for $43.00...SOLD to me! Yay! Almost all of the required readings can be found online, but I also own many of them already, those that have been my favorites over the decades.

Thanks again for your thorough presentation of each of the 10 volumes. You inspired me to pursue a goal I have had forever without its fulfillment. At the ripe age of 60, I continue my lifelong yearning for learning!

[nickn]

It would have been helpful if you had pointed out that there are at least three series of books associated with the great books program: 1) Great Books of the Western World, a 54 volume series of book-length works. The first volume, The Great Conversation, discusses the great books project generally, while volumes 2 and 3 are the "syntopicon" -- a survey of great ideas. 2) Gateway to the Great Books, a 10 volume series of shorter works, drama, stories, and essays. 3) the Great Ideas Program, which you review in this video. In any case, thanks for the video. The number of individuals who study the western tradition in this way is very small, and this is going to come around to bite us eventually. As Santayana said, those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

[LongHairedFreakyDude]

One time Adler used to be one of the most revered philosophers in the field of education, now not many people even know who he is... It's a shame. We need a new Adler to rise up and re spark that flame of liberal education amongst the people. Im confident that it would solve a lot of problems not related with education as well....
And as you pointed out all people need to take part in this education... Even the scientists, for it allows them to see across many fields of thought, and connect ideas to things outside of their specialization and thus develop new technologies, ideas, methods, etc.

I got a few volumes of the set out of a dumpster... One time my high school decided to reduce the size of their library... Since they couldn't find a place to donate books to they simply THREW THEM AWAY. AAAGGH. I pulled at least 300 volumes out of the trash, most of which were rare sets I had been looking to add to my collection for a long time, like the entire Dictionary of American Biography or The Great Ideas. It's such a shame that not even some educational institutions credit books anymore :/

The anology of the great books to mine craft is perfect :D and how you pointed out that things such as scientific works might no longer be accepted or practiced (one can't help but laugh while reading Aristotles treatise on anatomy!) that doesn't necessarily meant that they are outdated. Useful things can still be pulled from them. There is reason to read them.

Finally you mentioned college courses offering a history of ideas. Have you heard of St. John's Annapolis/Santa Fe? It's a college that I've been looking to go to... It's entirely based in the great ideas, the great books, and a great education. There are no professors... They stress that the teachers are the guys who wrote these books. What one does is they read their assigned reading, and then discuss with a class of about 8 students and a "moderator" the ideas in that work in what they call "a Socratic seminar". 4 years of just that. Really, there's no better word to describe it than magical! Then, after that, the graduates usually go forth with their new knowledge and new method of looking at and thinking critically about the world and pursue their occupational career. If only more schools offered such an "absurd" education!

Anyhoo Great set of books... Great indepth review!