The title of the course, Know Thyself, is appropriate in a number of ways. For one, the phrase is the best known of several maxims that were inscribed in stone at the ancient Temple of Apollo in Delphi in Ancient Greece. For visitors seeking guidance, the phrase encouraged introspection — understanding one's own nature, limits, and role in the world. In nearby Athens, the philosopher Socrates adopted this maxim as a cornerstone of his understanding of what makes a meaningful life.
The phrase is also a guiding principle of Furman's Cothran Center. As members of the Cothran Center team, our goal is to encourage intentional reflection on three important questions:
Who am I most authentically?
What do I believe most deeply?
What does the world need from me?
These questions are right at the heart of knowing oneself.
On this journey, not only will our students spend time engaging with questions such as these, but they will do so in the contexts of Athens, Delphi, and many other significant spaces in Greece.
As we progress through our time together, you can follow along here and hear from students as we discover things about ourselves, each other, and a culture different from our own.
Participants
will introduce themselves in individual biographies by the start of the
trip (listed under the People tab) and students will write daily
entries summarizing our activities throughout our trip. Hopefully this
blog will be a great way for friends, families, and fans of Furman to stay informed about this engaged learning experience in
real time!
Thanks for following our journey!
Rolyn Rollins, John Harris, and Jonny McEwen
Program Directors
