Jerry Lacony Killingsworth

The Great Conversation ( Expanded & Enhanced) Jerry Lacony Killingsworth

This book outlines the "Great Conversation" of the West, based on Hutchins-and-Adler's ideas related to the Great Books-and-the Liberal Education in the Western Culture. It reviews Hutchins' version of 1952, as well as updates by Adler, including his six greatest ideas and ten philosophical mistakes. Beyond the original ideas, thoughts, and knowledge, as well as the 54 volumes of the Great Books, including 73 authors, the author outlines more recent versions of the Great Conversation in the west from the Pre-Socratics to Descartes, which indicates two great shifts, from the Axial shift from the oral native cultures to the shift toward the thought based reality of Descartes and the post-modern view of modern philosophy and experimental science that goes from Descartes through Heidegger and to Quine. The author focuses on the need to expand and enhance the Conversation to include east-west, oral-literacy, and to expand the philosophical ideas, knowledge, and thoughts which would be a great enhancement of a "Great Conversation" that would be broadened and deepened.