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Please note that this course will run for 18 weeks in order to include two weeks off for holidays, namely U.S. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's.
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Are you a deep thinker? Do you tend to ask a lot of questions? To turn over every leaf? To remain unsatisfied with the frequent refrain that "that's just how things are"? Are you interested in learning how to think and write like a philosopher? Curious about how one might go about developing and publishing a significant thought that sparks dialogue in a wider public? 🍃


Testimonials for this course, as sourced from the original version of it, "Sophie's World and the History of Philosophy":

"This class may be the most powerful class my child has ever taken in their entire 9 years of homeschooling. The conversations we had! By the end of the course, my teen was a different person-- more aware, thoughtful, sharper and clearer, invested and concerned. This is one of those you remember even when you're 60, and find yourself saying to your grandkids, 'I had this teacher in high school who...' "　 - Rose 🌹

"As a parent I enjoyed watching my learner challenge himself with new ideas and ways of thinking, for an otherwise rigid thinker.  [...] The class was very well organized. Kelsey took the time to get to know the students individually, which worked well for my son who typically shy's away from group interaction.  The novel that serves as a spine for learning about western philosophy was well liked and engaging for my son."　- Katie M. 🌞


Welcome to the fantastic world of philosophy! It’s an honor to be your guide on a journey into both the ancient and modern worlds of ideas and thought. The primary objectives of this course are to give you an introductory glimpse into the history of philosophical ideas, consider important ethical concerns of our times, and improve our logical and critical thinking skills along the way.

“So now you must choose... Are you a child who has not yet become world-weary? Or are you a philosopher who will vow never to become so? To children, the world and everything in it is new, something that gives rise to astonishment. It is not like that for adults. Most adults accept the world as a matter of course. This is precisely where philosophers are a notable exception. A philosopher never gets quite used to the world. To him or her, the world continues to seem a bit unreasonable - bewildering, even enigmatic. Philosophers and small children thus have an important faculty in common. The only thing we require to be good philosophers is the faculty of wonder…” ― Jostein Gaarder, Sophie's World 📖

This course will cover one chapter a week from the book, Sophie's World, the story of a 14-year-old girl who encounters a philosopher. Together they work to uncover a deep mystery about their world while simultaneously exploring the history of philosophy. 

Learners enrolled in this course are expected to read up to (but no more than) three chapters of the book a week between instructional video lessons. During video lessons, we look to answer some general questions about the text and its content as well as analyze the main philosophical questions addressed in these chapters. The lesson videos are rarely more than an hour long, and the majority of them range from 20 to 45 minutes in length.

Each video lesson will be accompanied by a handout of comprehension questions and a journal prompt to be completed each week. The "Mastery Check" quarterly assessments will also be assigned after every four "Days" (see Homework and Assessment below, respectively, for details).

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👀 COURSE SCHEDULE 👀
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Week 1: Introduction to Sophie's World
Week 2: The Garden of Eden, The Top Hat, and The Myths
Week 3: The Natural Philosophers, Democritus, and Fate
Week 4: Socrates, Athens, and Plato
Week 5: The Major's Cabin and Aristotle
Week 6: Hellenism and The Postcards
Week 7: Two Cultures and The Middle Ages
Week 8: The Renaissance and The Baroque
Week 9: Descartes, Spinoza, and Locke
Week 10: Hume, Berkeley, and Bjerkely
Week 11: The Enlightenment and Kant
>>> Week off for U.S. Thanksgiving holiday <<<
Week 12: Romanticism and Hegel
Week 13: Kierkegaard and Marx
Week 14: Darwin and Freud
Week 15: Our Own Time and The Garden Party
>>> Week off for Christmas and New Year's holidays <<<
Week 16: Counterpoint, The Big Bang, and Wrapping Up
Week 17: Student Symposium*

*Intended only for those who opt-in for writing a final essay to present to and discuss with other learners. This will also be our only scheduled live meeting as a group. Learners who complete this Symposium are eligible for a Certificate of Excellence (see details under Homework below). They will also be offered coaching for possibly publishing their work in public blogs or journals, adding a distinguishing feature to their academic resume.

Accompanying instructional videos incorporate original slides that depict many of the art pieces and concept imagery associated with those we study. Weekly designated office hours will also be available for learners to ask questions and discuss thoughts of theirs in the context of their writing.

Both an accessible introduction to philosophy and an enjoyable piece of young adult literature in its own right, Sophie's World promises to be a delightful journey through the mental landscape that retells the story of our cultural and intellectual heritage. Philosophical investigations abound! 🌏

NOTE: A minimum of four (4) learners must be enrolled for this course to be held as scheduled. Learners who wish to remain enrolled even in the case of there not being a sufficient number of enrollees will be transferred to the next available scheduled section of the same class.

Still got questions? Feel free to contact me for more information!