Ancient Philosophy with Dr Mark Vernon
 

Pay Per lesson – £30
 

Lesson 1 13th May: The Pre-Socratics and the birth of philosophy
Lesson 2 20th May: Socrates and Plato and the examined life
Lesson 3 27th May: Aristotle and the study of happiness
Lesson 4 3rd June: Stoicism and the discovery of the logos
Lesson 5 10th June: Epicurus and the question of pleasure
Lesson 6 24th June: The Sceptics and Cynics: how to rebel and suspend disbelief

 

Dr Mark Vernon is a writer, broadcaster and teacher. He began his professional life as a priest in the Church of England. He has a PhD in philosophy, and degrees in theology and physics. His most recent books are two on God – God: All That Matters (Hodder) and The Big Questions: God (Quercus) – and he has written books on friendship, wellbeing and the good life.
 

The ancient philosophy course draws on his book, Plato’s Podcasts: The Ancients’ Guide to Modern Living (Oneworld). Mark writes regularly for publications in the UK, including the Guardian, TLS and The Tablet. He also broadcasts on the BBC. He is an Honorary Research Fellow at Birkbeck College, University of London and a keen blogger at www.markvernon.com

Idler Course Testimonials
‘Mark is a great teacher who helps to bring clarity to some potentially very intimidating subjects.’
 

‘A great place to think, laugh and learn.’
 

‘It is much better to be talk philosophy than to read it.’
 

‘I never spent Sunday afternoons looking forward to Monday until I joined this course!’
 

13th May: The Pre-Socratics and the birth of philosophy
Socrates is the seminal figure of western philosophy, but he himself emerged from a tradition already centuries old. In this evening we will consider the thought of individuals from Thales, sometimes called the father of philosophy, to the big hitters such as Heraclitus and Parmenides, who argued over whether everything is in a state of flux or is, ultimately, one. The surviving texts of these philosophers are fragmentary but we can build up a fascinating picture of their extraordinary takes on the world, ideas that have echoed across the centuries to our own day.

20th May: Socrates and Plato and the examined life
Socrates is arguably the most influential figure in western philosophy, though oddly he wrote not a word. Most of his ideas come to us via Plato, from the notion that the unexamined life is not worth living, to that of dying for a principled cause. But what are his great insights? Why is he so important? And can Plato be trusted, because this was a philosopher who had his own, powerful ideas about how to live – ideas we will explore too.

27th May: Aristotle and the study of happiness
He has been called the first scientist and his philosophy dominated in the west right up to the Renaissance. Today, he is increasing influential for his work on virtue ethics, an approach to moral philosophy that is gaining wide recognition once more. How to be happy? What does it mean to have a friend? How should we organise society so as to flourish? We will ask these questions and more of Aristotle.

3rd June: Stoicism and the discovery of the logos
The Stoics offered probably the most successful practical philosophy of life right up to the Christian period – individuals from Cicero to Marcus Aurelius followed them – and even when the new religion arrived, Stoic ideas were imported. Notions about ‘going with the flow’ and ‘keeping a stiff upper lip’ can be traced back to Stoic ideas, and behind them lie a fully developed understanding of the nature of the cosmos.

10th June: Epicurus and the question of pleasure
Hedonism is the philosophy for a consumer age, though Epicurus – the founder in the west of this strand of thought – would have critiqued our way of life severely. Pleasure is the central question for him, but the trick is to enjoy small pleasures rather than become addicted to ever bigger, unsustainable highs and kicks. Epicurus taught in a garden and wrote from matters such as friendship, to the atomic nature of matter.

NB No course on 17th June

24th June: The Sceptics and Cynics: how to rebel and suspend disbelief
These two groups of philosophers were, in a way, the punk-rockers of the ancient world. The Sceptics, from the ancient Greek for ‘searcher’, argued that it is better to suspend your relentless questioning when answers clearly are not to be found: rest easy with mystery. The Cynics, after the word for ‘dog’ because they were accused of living like dogs, challenged the other philosophers by holding a finger to all social conventions. They were Greece’s equivalent of the Hebrew prophets, calling the powerful, the mighty and the confident to account.

KLC has built up a exceptional reputation for training top quality garden designers many of the alumni have won awards such as Best in Show; People’s Choice; Best Conceptual Show Garden at Hampton Court Flower Show. Graduates have won RHS gold, silver-gilt and silver medals for their designs. The training at KLC is unique for incorporating garden design with horticulture, resulting in extremely well rounded graduates. Come to The Idler Academy and ask the KLC garden design graduates for help with inspirational design ideas for your garden, or find out more about plants that will transform your garden, balcony or roof space.
 

 
This event is based over four Saturdays during the Chelsea Fringe Festival when KLC garden design alumni and students will offer design and plant advice over a pot of tea! There will be two designers on duty at a time and each will work a two-hour shift.

 
The hours will be – Saturdays from 11am until 3pm
The dates are: May 18th & 25th and June 1st and 8th
 
The drop-in advice sessions are offered to anyone needing help with garden design, planting or general gardening advice. There is no booking procedure but if it gets very busy then people can put their names down for the next available slot. The idea is to have a half hour session with each person (if it is quiet then the sessions could be longer). The general public are encouraged to buy a pot of tea at the coffee shop in exchange for advice. It would be a very good idea to bring along photos of your garden and any plans that you may have.
 

These sessions are drop in but if you have any questions about times or when to call by then it would be advisable to call the Idler Academy on 0207 221 5908. Please note that design advice will not be given out on the telephone.
 

 
Having tackled the indoor world of the city’s museums she put on her outdoor shoes to explore the capital’s thriving horticultural scene for her latest publication, The London Garden Book A-Z. Allotments and a fortuitously discovered Zen garden bookend entries on thriving community gardens, guerrilla plots, flower shows, vertical gardens and venerable gardening destinations such as Kew and the Chelsea Physic Garden. The book – described as “A must-have for all London gardeners as well as visitors to the capital” by Gardens Illustrated - includes some of London’s lesser-known garden gems and Abigail will be sharing some of these in this illustrated talk on London’s Secret Gardens.

For more info: www.abigailwillis.co.uk

Crazy comic club is returning to the idler academy!

Now Booking for Saturday 25th May, 11:30 – 1:30
 

Join bestselling cartoonist and experienced comic teacher James Parsons at The Idler Academy for a series of exciting monthly comic-drawing masterclasses!

Crazy Comic Club may contain: comic-universes-in-a-cube, 3D glasses and drawing, microcomix, How-To-Draw sessions, investigating techniques (brushes, inks, dip pens, monoprinting), secret techniques and tricks used by the professionals, creating your own comic, caricature. All you need to bring is your imagination!

http://www.crazycomicclub.co.uk/

Tonight Dr Matthew Green will launch the accompanying pamphlet which the Idler is thrilled to be publishing. Limited to 100 copies, this is a gorgeous pamphlet designed by Alice Smith and hand-numbered. Dr Green will sign your copy.
 

London’s love affair with coffee can be traced back 350 years to a muddy churchyard in the City of London where a Greek visionary with a twirly moustache and shocking English accent dispensed a foul-looking liquid from a smoky wooden shack. From these humble beginnings arose a trailblazing cultural phenomenon that would transform the face of the city, connect Londoners, and inspire brilliant ideas that would shape the modern world.

Hear about the meteoric rise of coffeehouses in 17th-century London, their blossoming in the 18th century, and their tragic death in the 19th as Londoners turned to tea. Picture the cosy, candlelit world of the Georgian coffeehouse and all that went on inside: from dolphin dissections to lethal duels over Latin grammar, poetry recitals to slave auctions, salacious gossip-mongering to ventriloquism. Marvel at a world where you could begin a conversation with anyone you liked by yelling the four sacred words: “What News Have You!”
 

Today, our streets have been invaded by bland, tax-evading Starbucks clones, shadows of their Georgian forefathers. But small, independent coffeehouses are sprouting all over London: is this a resurgence of Georgian-style coffeehouses, little caffeinated Davids ready to defeat the corporate behemoth?
 

Don’t miss this talk which has proved a hit at Selfridges, Port Eliot and on BBC Radio.
 

Biography:

Dr Matthew Green graduated from Oxford University in 2011 with a PhD in the power of the press in 18th-century London. He works as a writer, freelance journalist, broadcaster and lecturer. He is the creative director of Unreal City Audio, which produces immersive, critically-acclaimed guided tours of London with actors, musicians, and free coffee. His long pamphlet, The Lost World of the London Coffeehouse, will be published by the Idler Academy early next year.

KLC has built up a exceptional reputation for training top quality garden designers many of the alumni have won awards such as Best in Show; People’s Choice; Best Conceptual Show Garden at Hampton Court Flower Show. Graduates have won RHS gold, silver-gilt and silver medals for their designs. The training at KLC is unique for incorporating garden design with horticulture, resulting in extremely well rounded graduates. Come to The Idler Academy and ask the KLC garden design graduates for help with inspirational design ideas for your garden, or find out more about plants that will transform your garden, balcony or roof space.
 

 
This event is based over four Saturdays during the Chelsea Fringe Festival when KLC garden design alumni and students will offer design and plant advice over a pot of tea! There will be two designers on duty at a time and each will work a two-hour shift.

 
The hours will be – Saturdays from 11am until 3pm
The dates are: May 18th & 25th and June 1st and 8th
 
The drop-in advice sessions are offered to anyone needing help with garden design, planting or general gardening advice. There is no booking procedure but if it gets very busy then people can put their names down for the next available slot. The idea is to have a half hour session with each person (if it is quiet then the sessions could be longer). The general public are encouraged to buy a pot of tea at the coffee shop in exchange for advice. It would be a very good idea to bring along photos of your garden and any plans that you may have.
 

These sessions are drop in but if you have any questions about times or when to call by then it would be advisable to call the Idler Academy on 0207 221 5908. Please note that design advice will not be given out on the telephone.
 

Tim was born in Salford but grew up in a village near Northwich, Cheshire. Leaving school at 16 to work at ICI, his real love was music and in 1989  he joined the Charlatans as their lead singer. The band have survived Madchester and Britpop to emerge as one of the most original bands of recent times. In Telling Stories Tim recounts the ups and downs of life on the road recalling the tragedy of losing a band member alongside the triumphant gigs and record sales. As well as his work with the Charlatans Tim has released two acclaimed solo albums, I Believe in 2003, and most recently  Oh No I Love You in October 2012.

Tim will be on hand to sign copies of Telling Stories with a special £2 off the cover price on the night.

“Clear, honest. An unusually frank and well-written rock memoir’ The Times

‘Burgess keeps a level head, a sharp eye and a nice turn of phrase’ Independent

KLC has built up a exceptional reputation for training top quality garden designers many of the alumni have won awards such as Best in Show; People’s Choice; Best Conceptual Show Garden at Hampton Court Flower Show. Graduates have won RHS gold, silver-gilt and silver medals for their designs. The training at KLC is unique for incorporating garden design with horticulture, resulting in extremely well rounded graduates. Come to The Idler Academy and ask the KLC garden design graduates for help with inspirational design ideas for your garden, or find out more about plants that will transform your garden, balcony or roof space.
 

 
This event is based over four Saturdays during the Chelsea Fringe Festival when KLC garden design alumni and students will offer design and plant advice over a pot of tea! There will be two designers on duty at a time and each will work a two-hour shift.

 
The hours will be – Saturdays from 11am until 3pm
The dates are: May 18th & 25th and June 1st and 8th
 
The drop-in advice sessions are offered to anyone needing help with garden design, planting or general gardening advice. There is no booking procedure but if it gets very busy then people can put their names down for the next available slot. The idea is to have a half hour session with each person (if it is quiet then the sessions could be longer). The general public are encouraged to buy a pot of tea at the coffee shop in exchange for advice. It would be a very good idea to bring along photos of your garden and any plans that you may have.
 

These sessions are drop in but if you have any questions about times or when to call by then it would be advisable to call the Idler Academy on 0207 221 5908. Please note that design advice will not be given out on the telephone.
 

A One Day Course at the Idler Academy, by John Foley

 
Sunday 9th June, 11am – 5pm
 

Chess is a game of endless fascination which is played the world over. The game is easy to learn, but hard play well. Many people know how the pieces move but have yet to penetrate into the delights of the game. If you have ever wanted to take your curiosity a little bit further, then this course is for you.
 

The course comprises a mix of theory and practice. You will get a chance to play against others of a similar level in a supervised learning environment. You will learn about tactics and also some practical rules of thumb. Above all, you will have a lot of fun. At the end of the day, you should have more confidence about playing a social game of chess.
 

Refreshments and light lunch are included. Please advise any special dietary requirements.
 

John Foley is an experienced chess educator. He runs the teacher training courses for Chess in Schools. He was London Junior as well as Oxford University champion. He is chairman of Kingston Chess Club, runs the British Chess Magazine team in the National first division (4NCL) and plays competitively for Surrey.
 

Level: Beginners
 

‘Being single is often awesome. You can leave a party when you want to, whether that be 9pm or 9am; you don’t have to live in fear of ever hearing yourself described as “my better half”; and you can spend all day lying on the sofa in your pajamas watching Murder She Wrote and eating peanut butter straight out of the jar.’
 

Covering topics vital for any modern woman to consider (from ‘How to read women’s magazines without wanting to grow a penis’ to ‘Beyond the armpit: a guide to being a modern day feminist’), Be Awesome tackles body image, sex, dating and feminism head on.
 

With an attitude that is unfalteringly funny, smart and surprisingly heartwarming, Hadley Freeman is a voice of sanity that every woman should hear.