Evolution of Wisdom Thought

Wisdom thought has, in some ways, evolved since “The Epic of Gilgamesh,” the oldest extant literary work, in other ways, it has remained similar or even the same, through to the 20th century. Each society — and the religions it has fostered — has produced its own unique form of wisdom while, at the same time, deriving from and building on some of the same or similar ethical and spiritual principles that have come before it.

During these two-hour Saturday morning classes, principles from five different societies and religious traditions will be examined and discussed. Those attending will be given the opportunity to read the short classics in highly accessible translations ahead of time, which will constitute the basis for in-class lectures and for the discussions that follow.

Join us and Dr. Arthur Feinsod for the final Evolution of Wisdom Thought workshop, from 9:30-11:30 a.m., on Saturday, June 22. Each session will take place in the Community Room at Providence Hall.

The final session will focus on “Mohandas Gandhi’s Spirituality and Politics.” Staying in the 20th century but shifting to a Hindu perspective, we will examine Gandhi’s spiritual principles and how they emerge from ancient ones set forth in “The Upanishads and The Bhagavad-Gita.”

We will also look at Gandhi’s political philosophy of satyagraha and show its parallels with the civil disobedience tradition from Sophocles’ “Antigone,” through Henry David Thoreau’s “On the Duty of Civil Disobedience,” through Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.”

Cost for each session of the series is $25.

For more information, call 812-535-2952 or email provctr@spsmw.org.