EXPLORING LONERGAN’S INSIGHT

Although published in 1957, Bernard Lonergan’s magnum opus, Insight: A Study in Human Understanding continues to inspire, challenge and puzzle readers today. Lonergan’s entire effort moves toward “finding a common ground on which men and women of intelligence might meet.” In an age of relativism and privileging individual specialization over the possibility of collaboration, Lonergan invites readers to discover where we can encounter the other. He does this through his exploration of insight as an activity in part one (“What is happening when we are knowing?”) and insight as knowledge in part two (“What is known when that is happening?”).

This course will consist of reading sections of Insight over two semesters. We will draw on Boston College philosophy professor Patrick Byrne’s on-line course titled Insight and Beyond as a guide to our reading. The primary text for the course will be Insight: A Study in Human Understanding. Some secondary readings will be provided as additional guides to our readings. The desire to know runs deep. Why not satisfy it?

COURSE LENGTH: 12 weeks biweekly Fall and Winter
DISCUSSION TEAM: Russell Baker, Christine Jamieson, Brian McDonough, Leonard O’Hanley
FIRST SESSION: Monday, September 19, 2011 at 6:15 pm