Yesterday I commented on Tom Ridge’s definition of land in CA, AZ and PA as “sacred.” Today I bring up a related issue: the comprehensive toxification of land and water in the US. The EPA released a report yesterday that says that it “found mercury — a pollutant primarily released from coal-fired power plants — [...]
After posting our new class offering, “Animism,” I was browsing the Washington Post and what did I find? Former Department of Homeland Security Security Tom Ridge and current Governor of Pennsylvania Edward Rendell co-wrote an op-ed detailing the establishment of a new national park in Somerset, Pa. where Flight 93 crashed on 911. When they [...]
Investigate the traditions of animism in the cultures of Egypt, Greece, Judea, India and America.
Introduction to Permaculture Grown in Westhampton will host Rick Tracy of Intervale Farm, who will present an introduction to the philosophy and practice of permaculture. Permaculture is an interesting approach to agriculture that values local self-reliance, and strives to harmonize farming with native ecological processes. Rick is a third generation farmer at Intervale, and president [...]
How did I get waylaid by the beauty of these weeks? I blame those many days when late afternoon sun flared up the leaves, a match lit in every one, making the trees look like Chinese lanterns, the rising Berkshire hills like cities of paper with all the lights on, luminescent walls colored in crayon [...]
Reading about the 3 Sylvesters Judd in Life and character of the Rev. Sylvester Judd. Grandfather Sylvester established a large farm estate in Southampton, opened general stores in Norwich and Westhampton, and was a Calvinist reverend. “He was one of the members of the first Convention for framing a Constitution for Massachusetts in 1779″: impressive! [...]
I’m immersed in a research project: ferreting out the religious history of Nonotuck, especially the part that concerns the spiritual freedom the early inhabitants exercised when they imagined and worshiped God. That’s why I’m thinking about Transcendentalism. Transcendentalism is a particularly Massachusetts-ian theology for three reasons. First, the colonists who invaded Massachusetts were serious about [...]
Philosophy is where we go to understand what a good life is. It literally means love of wisdom (philo & sophia). Wisdom is the moral intelligence that lets us make wise or unwise decisions on the playing field of raw survival. It helps us to survive; stockbrokers, Ephesians have their wisdoms, and all to the [...]
This 4-session course introduces you to the key writings of America’s most influential natural philosopher.
Learn where Transcendentalism came from, and how it informs our way of perceiving nature
