Telos Academy

This course compares historical treatments of tyranny in political philosophy, with the rise of Julius Caesar. Might a Caesar legitimately arise from any republic? Is an American Caesar a real possibility? Would he be legitimate if he did arise? Taking cues from ancient history and philosophy, this course has clear relevance for America today.

Many have heard of these virtues, but few understand their importance in individual lives and their relevance in world politics. Anyone wanting to accomplish great things in politics should learn from Aristotle how to approach any situation by the application of these universal principles. This course will be taught by Senior Fellows and other excellent scholars from then Claremont network.

There will be four, two-week courses over the summer, each addressing one of the cardinal virtues: Prudence, Fortitude, Justice, and Temperance.

This phrase evokes for many an image of Bill Kristol, the second Bush Administration, and the “spreading of democracy.” These ideas are relevant and will be addressed, but to understand this impulse we will return to Plato, Aristotle, and Polybius to understand the fundamental nature of regimes, why they change, and what they change into. Additionally, the questions will be raised, “has America’s regime changed? Will it change again? What sorts of changes can we expect in this most peculiar regime?