Adam Beaton

Follow Alexander’s epic journey from a young Macedonian prince to history’s most legendary conqueror, examining his battles, ambitions, and the empire that reshaped the ancient world." This dynamic eight-session course brings to life the extraordinary story of Alexander the Great, the brilliant, ruthless, and visionary conqueror who forged an empire spanning three continents. Through lively lectures and vivid visuals (maps, artifacts, and battle simulations), combined with thought-provoking discussions, we’ll explore his meteoric rise from prince to global icon. By the end, you’ll understand why Alexander’s name still echoes 2,300 years after his death. Session 1: Introduction & Macedonia Before Alexander Session 2: The Beginning of Alexander’s Reign Session 3: The Invasion of Persia Session 4: Key Battles – Issus & Gaugamela Session 5: Egypt & the Oracle at Siwa Session 6: The Heart of Persia & the Death of Darius Session 7: The Indian Campaign & Mutiny Session 8: Death & Legacy of Alexander the Great [show less]

Death is life's only certainty, and yet, no subject has inspired more diverse, profound, and contradictory answers across human history. Beginning with an examination of our own psychological defenses against death, this module then takes you on a global tour of how the world's great religious and philosophical traditions have grappled with mortality, giving you the opportunity to sit with the living practices of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. We will ask: What happens when we die? How should we grieve? Is fear of death rational? And perhaps most importantly, can confronting our finitude actually teach us how to live more fully? Finally, we will turn to a discussion of near-death experiences, the human quest for immortality, and the ultimate philosophical question: If we could achieve immortality, would we actually want it? Designed for curious adult learners with no prior background in religious studies or philosophy, this course welcomes anyone processing personal grief, seeking to understand the beliefs of neighbors or colleagues, or simply lying awake wondering what it all means. All viewpoints are respected; you need not be religious or irreligious to participate, only open-minded and willing to reflect. By the end, students will be able to articulate core beliefs about death across major traditions, compare diverse approaches to dying and grief, analyze philosophical arguments about the fear of death, and reflect personally on how global wisdom has shifted their own assumptions. *Note: This module contains potentially disturbing material, but it is handled with respect and academic sensitivity. Because this course deals directly with death, dying, and the rituals surrounding the end of life, students will encounter:

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1. Descriptions of corpses and burial practices, including discussion of cremation, excarnation (exposure of bodies to the elements), mummification, and traditional washing and shrouding rituals.
2. Graphic imagery from religious traditions, such as the Buddhist Bardo Thodol (Tibetan Book of the Dead), which includes vivid descriptions of the dissolution of the body and encounters with wrathful deities; Hindu iconography of the goddess Kali and Yama, the god of death; and Islamic teachings on the "trial of the grave" and the torments of hell.
3. Discussions of suffering and grief, including the emotional and psychological realities of losing loved ones and the process of mourning across cultures.
4. References to violence and sacrifice in religious and historical contexts, including crucifixion in Christianity, animal sacrifice in various traditions, and the ethical complexities of killing in war and capital punishment.
*Importantly, this course is NOT designed to be sensational or gratuitous. All material is presented in an academic, comparative, and respectful framework. The goal is understanding, not shock. Graphic descriptions are provided for cultural and ritual context, not for their own sake. Students are never required to view images or videos that would be considered disturbing; all content is delivered through lecture and discussion. Students who anticipate difficulty with any of these topics are encouraged to speak with the preceptor ahead of time. Accommodations such as advance notice of specific content or alternative reflection assignments can be made. Lecture Session 1 - Fear, Denial, and the Search for Meaning in Death Discussion Session 1 Lecture Session 2 - Judgement and Paradise: The Abrahamic Traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam Discussion Session 2 Lecture Session 3 - Rebirth and Impermanence: The Dharmic Traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism Discussion Session 3 Lecture Session 4 - Near Death Experiences, Immortality, and Why Death Gives Life Meaning Discussion Session 4

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This course explores Aeschylus and his Oresteia trilogy of plays in depth, examining its themes, dramatic techniques, and historical context, while also introducing SPACE students to the origins and performance practices of Ancient Greek tragedy. This eight-session course offers an engaging exploration of Aeschylus’ Oresteia—the groundbreaking trilogy that reshaped Ancient Greek tragedy. Through dynamic discussions, close readings, and visual aids, we’ll unpack Aeschylus' plays (Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, and The Eumenides) examining their brutal conflicts, moral dilemmas, and ultimate vision of justice. Along the way, we’ll investigate Greek tragedy’s origins, Aeschylus’ revolutionary innovations, and how these ancient dramas still resonate today. No prior knowledge or homework required—just a willingness to debate fate, fury, and the first courtroom drama in Western literature! Session 1: The Origins of Greek Tragedy Session 2: Performance and Dramatic Techniques in Greek Tragedy Session 3: Aeschylus, The Father of Tragedy Session 4: Agamemnon – Blood, Betrayal, and the House of Atreus Session 5: The Libation Bearers – The Cycle of Revenge Session 6: The Eumenides – Blood Feuds to Civic Justice Session 7: The Oresteia as a Unified Trilogy Session 8: Greek Tragedy’s Influence and Modern Adaptations [show less]

Quite a few people have heard of Karl Marx and Marxism, but far less have ever stopped to learn what Marxism is really all about. Is it simply an economic theory, or a political movement? Is it a philosophy of history, or just a critique of capitalism? Why has it shaped revolutions, labor movements, academic disciplines, and political debates across the world for more than 150 years? For some, it represents the dream of economic democracy and liberation from exploitation. For others, it evokes authoritarianism, failed states, and political repression. This introductory course explores the foundations of Marxist thought in a clear, simple, and accessibly grounded way. Through four pre-recorded lectures and four discussion sessions, students will learn and discuss the core concepts developed by Karl Marx and later Marxist thinkers, including ideas like class struggle, historical materialism, exploitation, alienation, ideology, revolution, and socialism. The course will also provide an introductory examination of how Marxists understand capitalism, why they believe economic systems shape society and politics, and how Marxist ideas evolved through labor struggles, anti-colonial movements, and debates within the socialist tradition itself. We will end through looking at how Marxism has touched other disciplines beyond economics, culminating in a critique of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings through the lens of Marxist literary criticism. No prior background in philosophy, economics, or political theory is required or needed, just your curiosity. Whether you are sympathetic to Marxism, skeptical of it, or simply interested in understanding one of the most important intellectual movements of the modern world, this course will provide the tools to think critically and historically about capitalism, socialism, and the future of human society. Lecture 1: The World of Karl Marx: History, Class, and Struggle Discussion Session 1 Lecture 2: Capitalism and Exploitation Discussion Session 2 Lecture 3: Revolution, the State, and Socialist Transitions Discussion Session 3 Lecture 4: Marxism Beyond Marx: Sociology, Literary Criticism, and The Lord of the Rings Discussion Session 4 [show less]

Throughout Christian history, the Gospel of Mark has been the most overlooked and misunderstood of the four canonical gospels within Christianity. Many assume it to be not much more than a condensed, bare-bones summary of the gospels of Matthew or Luke. This is a serious mistake. Mark's narrative is a genuine literary achievement that rewards careful scrutiny. This series of lectures is dedicated to demonstrating exactly why that is the case. The irony is sharp: Mark depicts a messiah no one around him could understand or recognize, yet readers today often miss the clues embedded right in the text. Over eight lectures, we will dissect the sophisticated and often subtle architecture of this Gospel, bringing to light its rich layers and its provocative thesis: that Jesus embodied a kind of messiah radically different from any prevailing expectation. Additionally, because the preceptor approaches this text outside the Christian faith tradition, this external perspective allows us to engage with Mark’s narrative not as a matter of doctrine or devotional practice, but as a piece of ancient literature with a unique, unsettling, and enduringly powerful message. Lecture 1: The Gospel's Opening Lecture 2: The Enigmatic Messiah of Mark Lecture 3: Jesus’s Proclamation and Parables Lecture 4: The Misunderstood, Suffering Savior Lecture 5: Curiosities in Mark’s Passion Account Lecture 6: The Eloquent Silence of Mark’s Ending Lecture 7: Puzzles in the Manuscript Tradition Lecture 8: Investigating Mark’s Author and the Purpose of Writing the Gospel [show less]

What is the meaning of life? This module examines four of humanity's most influential answers to that question. We will begin with a central ancient Hindu text, The Bhagavad-Gita, where students will learn about meaning from detached action and devotion to cosmic order. Students will then turn to Ancient Greece and learn about Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, where the philosopher located meaning in rational flourishing, virtue, and friendship. Next, students will confront the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament through The Book of Job, which challenges easy answers through the experience of unjust suffering. Finally, we round out our discussion with the modern views of Friedrich Nietzsche and his work Twilight of the Idols, declaring traditional values dead and demanding we create our own meaning. Students will learn to identify the core arguments of each text and trace the tensions that run through the human conversation about meaning: reason versus faith, action versus contemplation, self versus community, tradition versus freedom. Through four lectures and four discussion periods, students will build a personal toolkit for articulating and living their own thoughtful response to the biggest question ever asked. Lecture Session 1: The Bhagavad Gita - Duty and Cosmic Detachment Discussion Session 1 Lecture Session 2: Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics - Virtue and Human Flourishing Discussion Session 2 Lecture Session 3: The Book of Job - Suffering and the Limits of Reason Discussion Session 3 Lecture Session 4: Nietzsche's Twilight of the Idols - The Death of God and the Call to Self-Creation Discussion Session 4 [show less]

This module traces how the great myths of Greece and Rome, tales of transformation, underworld journeys, and heroic quests. have been reimagined by modern fantasy writers including J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Ursula K. Le Guin, asking how the classics influenced them and why these ancient stories still speak to us today. Session 1 – The Mythic Toolkit: What Is a Classical Myth? Session 2 – The Art of Transformation: Ovid’s Metamorphoses and Tolkien’s Beren and Lúthien Session 3 – The Ring of Gyges and the One Ring: Plato’s Thought Experiment Session 4 – Descent into Darkness: The Underworld Journey from Homer to Aragorn Session 5 – C.S. Lewis and the Myth of Cupid and Psyche Session 6 – The Hero’s Body: Achilles, Túrin, and the Tragic Flaw Session 7 – Reimagining the Aeneid: Ursula K. Le Guin’s Lavinia Session 8 – Why Myths Never Die: Madeline Miller's Circe and the Video Game Hades [show less]

Plato's Republic is arguably one of the most influential books ever written about Western political philsophy. This module offers an exploration of the Republic, examining its key themes such as Justice, the Ideal State, the Theory of Forms, and the Philosopher-King to name a few. Together, we will engage with the text's philosophical arguments and controversies while tying their relevance to contemporary society. Class One: Introduction to The Republic and the Greek World Class Two: Book I - The Debate on Justice: Socrates vs Thrasymachus Class Three: Books II & III - Education and the Ideal State Class Four: Books IV & V - Justice in the Soul and Society Class Five: Books VI & VII - The Philosopher-King and the Form of the Good Class Six: Books VIII & IX - The Mistaken Regimes and Socrates' Critique of Democracy Class Seven: Book X - Art, Poetry, and the Myth or Er Class Eight: Summary, Overview, and the Legacy of Plato's Republic [show less]

How did a small, persecuted Jewish sect from a remote province transform the greatest empire the world had ever known? The Roman Empire's conversion to Christianity is one of history’s most influential moments that reshaped the very soul of the West. This eight-lecture journey traces the often turbulent process that turned a pagan empire into the foundation of medieval Europe. We’ll move beyond simple tales of conversion to explore a gripping story of clashing worldviews, political opportunism, spiritual fervor, and astonishing adaptability. Session 1 - A World of Many Gods: Pagan Rome Meets a Jewish Sect Session 2 - The Offensive Faith: Why Christianity Was Different Session 3 - Seeds in the Cracks: Growth and Adaptation in the Second and Third Centuries Session 4 - The Imperial Convert: Constantine and the Cross of Victory Session 5 - From Faith in Caesar to Caesar's Faith: The Christian Empire Takes Shape Session 6 - City of God vs. City of Man: Collapse and Reinvention Session 7 - The Christian Landscape: Rites, Rivalries, and the Erasure of Paganism Session 8 - The Imperial Church: Justinian's Dream and the Legacy of a Baptized Rome [show less]

This module traces the greatest war story ever told, the Trojan War, from its Classical origins in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, through medieval romances and Virgil's Aeneid/i>, all the way to Tolkien's legendarium. Along the way, we will see how Tolkien’s fallen cities, doomed heroes, and wandering exiles echo the ancient conflict: from Achilles’ rage to Túrin Turambar’s curse, from the sack of Troy to the fall of Gondolin, from Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde to Beren and Lúthien, and from Odysseus’s long journey home to the voyage of Eärendil and Aragorn as the new Aeneas. We will end on a final reflection: Why do we keep telling stories about the destruction of great cities? Session 1 – The Greatest War Ever Told: Introducing the Trojan Cycle Session 2 – Heroes and Rage: Homer's Iliad and Tolkien's Doomed Warriors Session 3 – The Fall of the City: The Sack of Troy and the Fall of Gondolin Session 4 – The Women of Troy: Grief and Resistance in Euripides and Tolkien Session 5 – The Long Road Home: Homer's Odyssey and the Voyage of Eärendil Session 6 – Medieval Troy: Chaucer, the Romance Tradition, and Beren and Lúthien Session 7 – Virgil's Aeneid and Tolkien's Founding Heroes: Elros and Aragorn Session 8 – Why the Trojan War Never Ends: From Ancient Epic to Tolkien's Legendarium [show less]