ORDER & DISORDER:
Patterns in mathematics, systems of government, laws of nature
July 7–13, 2024 | Annapolis, MD
When we look deeply into the workings of the universe, it sometimes appears that everything is in flux. On the other hand, we sometimes glimpse patterns that captivate us with their elegance and seem to suggest an underlying order to it all. We’re called to wonder: is there a fundamental rhyme or reason to the world in which we live? And just how deep does it go? Where can we find hints of order amid apparent disorder, and where might chaos turn out to reign supreme? These will be some of the questions at the heart of our inquiry as we read foundational works of philosophy, literature, and mathematics that ask us to consider the role of both flux and stability in human life. Guided by authors such as Lucretius, Heraclitus, Euclid, and the groundbreaking number theorists Cantor and Dedekind, we’ll explore the various forms of order and disorder in nature, number, society, and ourselves.
Readings include: Elements, Essay on The Theory of Numbers, De rerum natura, and more
Classes and Readings
Coming Soon
Summer Academy Sessions
June 23–29, 2024
A Week with Socrates
At the St. John’s College Summer Academy, the community formed among students is a natural extension of the friendships and ideas formed in the classroom. To this end, Summer Academy students experience life at St. John’s by taking lessons in croquet, swing dancing, sailing, and choral singing. Students’ conversations about justice, nature, and law will continue as they are taken on a tour of the Maryland State House and attend a performance of Shakespeare’s The Tempest by the Annapolis Shakespeare Company.