Halkyon Academia
Learn only in order to create!
Welcome to the Philosophia Seminary at the Halkyon Guild! The seminary lives and breaths its leitmotif
taken from the German philosopher Friedrich Schelling:
"All rules for study are summed up in this one: Learn only in order to create!"
In a time where studying at university has become tantamount to getting a licence to compete on the job market,
we are the living reminder and rejuvenator of what university truly means: the courtyard meeting place of the One and Many
where the truth is pursued, and lógos and memory find a home.
The word "seminary" has Indo-European roots and relates to the word "seed." At the seminary we sow the seeds for the Philosophy
of the Future.
Hence, our courses are credentialed in a radically different way: we trust each other and believe in each other.
Our focus is on the true formation and education of human being -
may we flourish and fully become who we are.
Our seminars are spaces of and for "otium cum dignitate" — "leisure with dignity" free from instrumental rationality and busyness.
For our temple is being built on scholé, the measure of sufficiency that comes before any “material” concerns.
We realise that philosophy is a genuine and fundamental human need.
At our Academia we hence do not offer any accreditation for our courses, but moments moments of eternity and glimpses at truth!
The electric atmosphere at our seminars comes about precisely because what we care about is philosophia herself.
The aim of the Halkyon Guild and Academy is to deliver over from the past and into the future that which is worthy and necessary of saving and
heed it in our memory — so that we can become homo universalis for the coming age.
You can find a list of all our courses on our teachable page here.
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What our Students are saying:
"Johannes is an excellent teacher, in the best sense of the word. And the Halkyon Academy is what university once was. Regardless if you are a Ph.D student or just a lover of wisdom with no formal academic training this is the place to come and explore important thinkers and ideals that are relevant today!
Halkyon is a wonderful mixture of lecture, self-study, and productive dialogue that results in an environment of personal growth and mature philosophical thinking. I have enrolled in 3 courses now - 2 on Heidegger and 1 on German Idealism - and they have reignited the passion for philosophical discourse and study that I had as a master's student - present to the transformational power of genuine philosophical inquriy.
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In a world of internet "Gurus" Johannes is a real teacher with an actual Ph.D. and a book published on Heidegger and Death. He is a humble, careful thinker, who is not afraid to challenge your thoughts with a twist of wit and generosity. I have found a philosophical home again. Thanks, Johannes, and to all the other Halkyon members on the path. It has been a joy, and I look forward to more to come!"
~ Nathan McCullough, founder of Rising Phoenix Wellness
Why study philosophy? To learn the complex systems of thought of the world’s great thinkers and to learn how to think more precisely, deeply, and creatively. And the way to learn well is by reading the primary texts and secondary literature, developing a writing praxis to reflect upon and create from what has been learned, having a teacher who himself has thought and written deeply, and participating in a community of peers who taking the learning as seriously as you do. With this in mind, I’m here to say – testify – that Johannes Niederhauser Ph.D is the real deal. Since the internet is an unregulated marketplace, it offers thinkers who are but a step or two ahead of you but who pretend to levels of understandings they have not yet achieved. Johannes has the depth of thought crucial to avoiding philosophical missteps and misunderstandings as evidenced by his years of teaching at university and writing a careful and creative treatise on Heideggerian thought. The community that Johannes has built, the Halkyon Guild, is a community I have become part of and cherish. I am now taking my fourth course at the Halkyon Guild and I have loved them all. I am grateful to Johannes for building what he has built and for the courses he offers, and I encourage you to join us. – Jack Krasuski, MD.
While my year of coursework with Johannes has been grounded in philosophy, our seminar discussions regularly draw the material into art, economics and more. His recorded lectures are a great companion to the primary sources, but the live seminars take their own form relative to how students engage with the ideas. I came to Johannes with only a modest amount of self-study and am grateful for his guidance in learning how to read philosophy and authentically respond to it in a cohort of interesting, thoughtful peers. — Taylor Steinberg
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"I have had the pleasure of partaking in 3 of Johannes courses to date. Having a masters degree in Contemporary European Philosophy, the Halkyon Guild courses enrich my own philosophical journey immensely because of both the fascinating content and delivery styles. Firstly, the information is giving in a number of ways, written, audio and video lectures before the course commencement. Lectures offer an opportunity to discuss the philosophies and this really helps to broaden concepts and lines of inquiry. Halkyon Guild courses encourage my own creative exploration in my writing. At the end of each course there is an opportunity to present your philosophical ideas and musings in a short and varied format. Secondly, Halkyon Guild’s online forum is a place to further engage in dialogue on course materials, to read the work presented by other participants, or to present a longer version of your working ideas.
I find the encouragement here is fantastic and makes being a modern day philosopher a joy.
The platform, content, and delivery of each course has fulfilled my learning styles and I am confident in the knowledge I am acquiring.
I look forward to attending more courses in the near future."
- Melanie Dunne
“I want to get across what the impact of studying these great thinkers via your courses has been. It's beyond instrumentalism and certainly beyond self-help. It's more a change in mental outlook which then changes the way one lives. For example, my outlook towards work has changed a lot. I am now much more about seeing work as right livelihood and trying to reserve my energy for the enjoyable creative projects I'm engaged with.” – Dr. James Simpkin
“Excited for the Nietzsche course! Your courses so far have really been a blessing. I've been reading and writing more in my idle time. Starting to get in a groove! I’ve really enjoyed your recent Plato walkthrough and have caught up with the readings. Reading Plato helped me with my essay. It’s been crazy how useful the Plato studies have been for me recently.”
– Drew Lock
“I've found my lifetime's writing project because of you all! The Guild has been good to me.” – Seth Horras
“It was an inspiring course. It was like different views of the original concept are woven together, as Terry Eagleton put in one of his books about a good life, it should be a jazz band playing a common melody with individual musicians expressing their individuality through solos. It was an evocative experience.”
– Baris Aris