Joins us for a discussion,

led by Aron Dunlap, PhD,

from The Shimer School of Great Books and

author Jimmy Haring, PhD on,

Are we losing our minds? Thinking about thinking with Immanuel Kant and Hannah Arendt

Since the second half of the 20th century, we have been coining metaphors of thought from the world of cybernetics. Consequently, when we say “think” we often mean “compute.” Our computer beats us at chess and so we assume it’s a better thinker than we are, and though we have a hunch that this is not quite right, we search in vain for language that could defend the richness of human thought. Enter Immanuel Kant and his 20th c. protégé, Hannah Arendt. For these German philosophers, the faculty of judgment played a vital role in human thought. Judgement, unlike computing, demands that we make decisions without reliance on a rule or algorithm. It is closely allied to the faculty of aesthetic taste and a capacity for discerning the beautiful. In addition, human thought demands the presence (imagined or real) of other people. So please come think about thinking with us.

Aron Dunlap is a songwriter, academic and author. He has a PhD in religion from Temple University and is currently an assistant professor in the Shimer Great Books School at North Central College, where he has been since 2017. He has published a book, Lacan and Religion, and academic articles on topics ranging from the films of David Cronenberg to psychoanalytic themes in the Harry Potter series. For two decades, he has been writing songs under the moniker Good Dust and has also toured and performed with She-Haw, Kandy Whales and Sidney. His academic and musical sides come together in lecture/performances on Shakespeare (The Food of Love), W.H. Auden (Playing in Earnest), and modern poetry (Can Poetry Make Something Happen?). He has presented these hybrid works—featuring original musical settings of poetry alongside critical commentary—in universities, churches, artist retreats, bookstores and high schools across the country.

Jimmy Haring is an author, academic, and solopreneur. He holds a PhD in ethics and religious studies from the University of Notre Dame, where he wrote a dissertation on authenticity in the writings of Moses Mendelssohn and Immanuel Kant and taught courses in environmental ethics. He has published in the Journal of Religious Ethics, Political Theology, Journal of Biblical Literature, and elsewhere. He spent three years working as a sustainability and financial analyst in the renewable energy industry. Jimmy is currently building a new digital project called Philosophy for Everyday Life, working part time as an outdoor climbing guide, and developing software for valuing renewable energy investments.A free but reservations are strongly encouraged as space is limited, to reserve your spot, please email: info@kibbitznest.org

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