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Upcoming Online Events

The Agora Foundation is a nonsectarian 501(c)3 non-profit endeavor, providing great books seminars and other educational opportunities to those who are busy with careers, families, and daily responsibilities yet are seeking to further their education. The goal of these offerings is to provide an understanding of the ideas that shape civilizations and to promote civil discourse on complicated subjects. The Agora Foundation has facilitated over 1,000 great books seminars and teacher trainings, covering a wide variety of topics including literature, philosophy, political science, theology, history, art, psychology, and more, featuring ancient and modern texts from around the world. In addition to seminars, since 2014 Agora has produced 35 panels, gatherings, and video interviews, promoting civil discourse on controversial and complicated subjects. Hundreds of these events can be freely viewed and listened to on this website.

 

Generously funded by The Ahmanson Foundation, Southern California Edison, The Shanbrom Family Foundation, the Ventura County Community Foundation, the WRG Foundation, the Constance Eaton and William Hart Fund, the Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club of Ojai, CIty of Ojai, and private donations, the Teachers for Lifelong Learning Program provides training to high school teachers in this engaging approach to learning, and The Ojai Chautauqua provides panels promoting civil discourse on controversial and complicated subjects. 

Upcoming Regular Events

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Free Onsite Community
Seminar Series

The Poetry of Mary Oliver

Tuesday, May 13

12:00-1:00PM PDT

Online Seminar Series

Finnegans Wake by James Joyce

Wednesday, May 14

12:30-2:00PM PDT

Mary Oliver's poetry is widely recognized for its deep connection to the natural world, often focusing on detailed observations of plants, animals, and landscapes, with a central theme of finding beauty and meaning in everyday moments. We invite you to join us once per month to explore her poetry together.

 

May 13 Reading:

How Would You Live Then

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Schedule:

12:00 - 1:00PM PDT

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Tutor:

Andy Gilman

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Location:

Online. Register to receive the link.

A story with no real beginning or end, the work has come to assume a preeminent place in English literature. Published in 1939, the book would take Joyce two decades to complete. Join us as we read this text a few pages at a time, every other Wednesday afternoon.

 

May 14 Reading:

Book Two - Chapter Three of Finnegans Wake by Joyce (page 353, Line 33)

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Schedule:

12:30 - 2:00PM PDT

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Tutor:

Barry Rabe

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Location:

Online. Register to receive the link.

Online Seminar Series

An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding by David Hume

Thursday, May 15

12:30-2:00PM PDT

David Hume was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist who was best known for his highly influential system of empiricism, philosophical skepticism and metaphysical naturalism. This series continues a broader series on epistemology. All are welcome. Please join us even if this will be your first seminar in the series.

 

May 15 Reading:

pages 102-138 (Section 12, A Letter from a Gentleman to his Friend in Edinburgh, and An Abstract of a Treatise of Human Nature)

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Schedule:

12:30 - 2:00PM PDT

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Tutor:

Carol Seferi

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Location:

Online. Register to receive the link.

A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold - Onsight Seminar and Panel
February 1, 2024

 

The Ojai Valley Land Conservancy partnered with the Agora Foundation for a one-day celebration of Aldo Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac, which took place at Oak Grove School on Saturday, February 1. The afternoon highlight featured Green Fire, the first full-length, high-definition documentary about legendary environmentalist Aldo Leopold, followed by a thought-provoking panel discussion on Leopold’s legacy and its relevance to Ojai’s conservation efforts today. The discussion was moderated by Jon Christensen (UCLA), Richard Knight (CSU), Roger Essick (OVLC), and Tom Maloney (OVLC).

An Introduction to The Agora Foundation. What is liberal education? 

An Introduction to The Agora Foundation's Ojai Chautauqua Panels.

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