Reading Groups
Reading Group: Modern Culture
During November 2021, Professor Daniel J. Mahoney led a group through Scruton’s book Modern Culture (UK) or An Intelligent Person's Guide to Modern Culture (US). Follow along as Professor Mahoney leads us through Scruton's arguments on culture and why we should favour high culture over today's pop culture.
Session One: Chapters 1, 2 & 3; ‘What is Culture?’, ‘Culture and Cult’ and ‘Enlightenment’
Session Two: Chapters 4, 5 & 7; ‘The Aesthetic Gaze’, ‘Romanticism’ and ‘Modernism’
Session Three: Chapters 8, 9 & 10; ‘Avant-Garde and Kitsch’, ‘Surface and Surfeit’ and ‘Yoofanasia’
Session Four: Chapters 11, 12 & 13; ‘Idle Hands’, ‘The Devil’s Work’ and ‘Conclusions’
Reading Group: Wagner’s Parsifal
During June 2021, Dr Paul du Quenoy is led a group through Scruton’s book, Wagner’s Parsifal: The Music of Redemption. We invite you to follow along each week as Dr du Quenoy explores Scruton’s analysis of Wagner’s final opera, Parsifal.
Session One: Chapter 1 & 2; ‘The Quest’ and ‘Wagner’s Treatment of the Story’
Session Two: Chapter 3; ‘Confronting the Enigma’
Session Three: Chapter 4; ‘Sin, Love and Redemption’
Session Four: Chapter 5; ‘The Music’
The Conservative Hegel
During March 2021, Dr Mark Dooley led a group through an exploration of the German philosopher GFW Hegel and his importance to understanding Scruton’s philosophy.
Session One: The Homelessness of the Mind: Hegel's Critique of Kant
Session Two: Making the World in Our Own Image: Hegel's Theory of Selfhood
Session Three: The Union of Subject and Object: Art, History & Religion
Session Four: Coming Home: The Philosophy of Right
Reading Group: Fools, Frauds, and Firebrands
During February 2021, Dr Mark Dooley led a group through Scruton’s Fools, Frauds, and Firebrands: Thinkers of the New Left. Follow along as Dr Dooley guides the group through Scruton’s examination and critique of the leading left-wing thinkers in modern times.
Session Three: Chapters 5 & 7; 'Tedium in Germany: Downhill to Habermas' and 'Culture Wars Worldwide: The New Left from Gramsci to Said'
Session Four: Chapter 9; ‘What is Right?’
Reading Group: The Ring of Truth
During January 2021, Dr Paul du Quenoy led a group through Scruton’s The Ring of Truth: The Wisdom of Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung. Follow along as Dr du Quenoy explores Scruton’s analysis of Wagner’s Ring Cycle.
Session One: Chapters 1 & 2; “Introduction: The Work and the Man” and “History and Culture
Session Two: Chapter 3; “The Story”
Session Three: Chapters 4, 5, & 6; 'How the Music Works', 'Understanding the Story' and 'Character and Symbol'
Session Four: Chapters 7, 8, & 9; 'Love and Power', 'Siegfried and Other Problems' and 'Retrospect'
Reading Group: The Soul of the World
During November 2020, Professor Anthony O’Hear led a group through Scruton’s The Soul of the World. Follow along as Professor O’Hear, over the course of four sessions, explores Scruton's defense of the sacred in our daily lives.
Session One: Chapter 1; “Believing in God”
Session Two: Chapters 2 & 3 “Looking for People” and “Looking at the Brain”
Session Three: Chapters 4, 5 & 6; “the First-Person Plural,” “Facing Each Other” and “Facing the Earth”
Session Four: Chapter 8; “Seeking God”