TOC Gears Up for the Summer Seminar

From June 30 through July 7, the Johnstown campus of the University of Pittsburgh will host The Objectivist Center's twelfth annual summer seminar. From the opening picnic to the final banquet, hundreds of people will experience the mix of education, social life, inspiration, and good fun that the seminar has become known for.

As always, the foundation of the seminar is a strong program of over sixty lectures, courses, and workshops. A major theme this year will be cultural change, from broad questions of the philosophy of history to the culture of the "new economy." Afternoon workshops will give participants the opportunity to explore the details of the Objectivist philosophy, learn about ballet, analyze Aristotle, and study Victor Hugo. For those who want to wrestle with philosophical issues, David Kelley will offer a new course that discusses perennial unresolved issues in Objectivism. The full program can be found in the seminar brochure, which was mailed in early February and is posted on TOC's Web site. You can also register online at the website.

A new feature this year is more free time each afternoon, as well as a full day off. On Wednesday, July 4, participants will be free to relax, socialize, and pursue interests outside the classroom-or, if they prefer, to attend a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright's famous Fallingwater house or visit an icon of American railroad ingenuity, the Altoona Horseshoe Curve. In the evening, participants can enjoy a symphony concert and an Independence Day fireworks celebration.

Every year the seminar provides a first-class Objectivist education in an informal setting. Most of the faculty stay for the week to discuss their ideas over dinner--or late into the night in the common room. But just as important is the cultural atmosphere and the active social life the seminar provides. This year, the seminar is structured to make sure that all aspects of the week receive the attention they deserve.