OTIUM Travel
THE PATH TO A MEANINGFUL LIFE: how to build your self-education
We live in a world that is becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable. In a world of aggressive ideologies, propaganda and “cancel culture”. But this is also a world of new opportunities for creative and comprehensive personal development.
To realize these opportunities, to begin to lead a fulfilling and meaningful life, it is important to learn how to build your own education. It is important to learn to shape your experience, your inner world. And be able to connect your knowledge and experience with your practices and activities.
To do this, it is important to develop your own philosophy of life, your own unique view of the world. One’s own philosophy and independent thinking are a necessary condition for freedom and creative development of the individual. This is the path of a human creator. My worldview is just the beginning of the journey. And my philosophy is the path of a fulfilled and meaningful life.
- How to learn to build your education?
- How to form your reading circle?
- How to work with information?
- How and why to keep diaries?
- How to shape your leisure time?
- How to realize your purpose?
- Finally, how and why to form your own philosophy?
Lecturer — Andrey Baumeister
Ukrainian philosopher, specialist in ancient and medieval philosophy, ontology, metaphysics, philosophy of law and philosophical textual criticism.
Translator of philosophical texts from Latin, ancient Greek, German and French into Ukrainian.
Doctor of Philosophy (2015), until September 3, 2023, Professor of the Department of Theoretical and Practical Philosophy of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv].
Currently, he is a free philosopher.
WORCKSHOP PROGRAM:
First day — Friday
Lecture: “How to build your self-education?”
Main topics:
From my worldview to my own philosophy and picture of the world.
How to select sources for self-education?
How to build your own self-education?
How to connect self-education with your own “I”?
Second day — Saturday
Lecture: Discovering the Creative Self: The Enduring Significance of Romanticism
Main topics:
Reformation, Enlightenment and Romanticism in Europe.
From Enlightenment to Romanticism: spiritual transformation of the European tradition.
What is "romanticism"? And who are the romantics?
How did Romanticism influence European history?
The universal meaning of romanticism? How does Romanticism still influence us today?
Reading and discussion of fragments of the first part of Goethe's Faust.
Historical figure — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
(28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) is widely regarded as the greatest and most influential writer in the German language. His work has had a profound and wide-ranging influence on Western literary, political, and philosophical thought from the late 18th century to the present day.
Literary basis — Faust
Goethe worked on his plan for Faust for 60 years. The first part was written back in the 1790s, was completed in 1806, published two years later and was revised several times in Goethe's editions (most recently in 1828). Goethe worked on the second part in his old age; she saw the light after his death, in 1832.
Excursion to the Goethe House Museum in Weimar
Purpose of visiting: visualization of the theme of creativity and self-education.
Discussion: Why did Weimar manage to become the “Athens of the North” and lay the foundation for the great German culture?
Main topics:
How did a small duchy become a European cultural capital?
Weimar is an image of holistic development. Politics, religion, philosophy, culture.
Who created the miracle of Weimar?
Weimar after Goethe and Weimar in the twentieth century.
What can Weimar's history teach us?
Weimar is a city in the state of Thuringia, Germany.
It is located in Central Germany between Erfurt in the west and Jena in the east. Weimar is well-known because of its large cultural heritage and its importance in German history. The city was a focal point of the German Enlightenment and home of the leading figures of the literary genre of Weimar Classicism, writers Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Friedrich Schiller.
Historical period — Age of Enlightenment
Also known as the Age of ReasonIdeological — an intellectual and philosophical movement that occurred in Europe, centered on the value of human happiness, the pursuit of knowledge and ideals such as natural law, liberty, progress, tolerance.
Third day — Sunday
Lecture: My philosophy and fulfilled life
Main topics:
Why are all people philosophers by nature?
Why is it important to have your own philosophy?
“My philosophy” is the key to a conscious life.
How to build your life philosophy? “My philosophy” and life purpose.
What does it mean to lead a meaningful and fulfilling life? Examples of a meaningful and fulfilling life.
Reading and discussion of fragments of the second part of Goethe's Faust.
Philosophical walk (modeled on the Aristotelian Lyceum)
Topic:
Journey from the world of the Reformation through classicism to romanticism
Route:
- Excursion to the Anna Amalia Library.
- City Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul. The Saxon Dukes and Lucas Cranach. Herder Square.
- Palace of the Grand Duke.
- Park along the Ilm River: Goethe's Roman and summer house.
- Historical cemetery: "Fürstengruft" (tomb of the family of the Grand Duke, Goethe and Schiller), Orthodox cathedral, family tomb of the Goethe family.
Discussion: Transition from “my worldview” to “my philosophy”.
Having your own philosophy is:
- Be able to build your own self-education and independently determine the logic and goals of your own development.
- Be able to justify your world (in culture, religion, politics, art, view of human society).
- Combine your experience, your knowledge and skills with all forms of your activities. Know, be able and do.
- Form a circle of like-minded people and be open to different points of view.
- Be able to make difficult decisions and be aware of your responsibility to the past, present and future.
- Be prepared to play the role of an active and responsible subject who creates new opportunities for other people and society.
- Be aware of your purpose (or desire for it) and strive to realize your purpose in every act of your activity.
- Be a creative person.
- Lead a fulfilling and meaningful life.
We live in a world that is becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable. In a world of aggressive ideologies, propaganda and “cancel culture”. But this is also a world of new opportunities for creative and comprehensive personal development.
To realize these opportunities, to begin to lead a fulfilling and meaningful life, it is important to learn how to build your own education. It is important to learn to shape your experience, your inner world. And be able to connect your knowledge and experience with your practices and activities.
To do this, it is important to develop your own philosophy of life, your own unique view of the world. One’s own philosophy and independent thinking are a necessary condition for freedom and creative development of the individual. This is the path of a human creator. My worldview is just the beginning of the journey. And my philosophy is the path of a fulfilled and meaningful life.