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Agora Foundation - Seminar Series Nov 1,
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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 26 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, 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 Events

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Online Seminar Series

New Science by Giambattista Vico

Tuesday, September 26

12:00-1:30PM PDT

The lectures concern the psychological study of individual private religious experiences and mysticism, and use a range of examples to identify commonalities in religious experiences across traditions.

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September 26 Reading:

Book 4 - Sections 13-14, Book 5, Conclusion of the Work
(pages 440 to end)

 

Schedule:

12:00-1:30PM PDT

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Tutor:

Barry Rabe

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Online Format:

Register to receive the link

Online Seminar Series

Finnegans Wake by James Joyce

Wednesday, September 27

12:00-1:30PM PDT

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.

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September 27 Reading:

Book One - Chapter Chapter Six
(page 151, Line 7)

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Schedule:

12:00-1:30PM PDT

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Tutor:

Barry Rabe

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Online Format:

Register to receive the link

Online Contemporary Issues Seminar Series

Cognitive Bias

Saturday, September 30

12:00-2:00PM PDT

Cognitive bias is defined as a systematic pattern of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment. Individuals create their own subjective reality from their perception of available input. An individual's construction of reality may dictate their behavior in the world.

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September 30 Reading:

Judgment under Uncertainty by 
Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman

 

Schedule:

12:00-2:00PM PDT

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Tutor:

Andy Gilman

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Online Format:

Register to receive the link

Ojai Valley Land Conservancy Interview
August 11, 2023

 

The purpose of The Agora Foundation's Ojai Chautauqua panels is to engage Ventura County in civil discourse about controversial and highly passionate subjects. In 2023, The Ojai Chautauqua will produce a series of panels addressing the issues Ojai is facing, including water, tourism, housing, education, agriculture, environmentalism, and more. Ojai City Council Members and other civic leaders will be interviewed over the course of the year. 

 

Agora Foundation Video Interview with the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy

Friday, August 11, 2023

 

On Friday, August 11, Tom Krause and Andy Gilman of the Agora Foundation had a wide-ranging conversation with Tom Maloney, Executive Director, and Tania Parker, Deputy Director, of the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy.

 

In addition to a brief overview of the history of the OVLC, the conversation focused on the recently released five-year strategic plan. Topics included:

 

- The evolving Mission and Vision of the OVLC

- Collaboration with partner organizations

- Addressing climate change in the Valley

- The focus on wildland fire preparation and water conservation

- The growing effort of restoration

- Building a thriving organization

- The role of the OVLC in the community

 

The five-year strategic plan can be viewed and downloaded from the OVLC website:

www.ovlc.org/strategic-plan

 

Please email questions or comments to ojaichat@gmail.com.

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

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

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