Events

Technology and Statecraft

Parnassus House is running a nine-part seminar series entitled, "Technology and Statecraft: the Perennial Problems," from July 22nd to September 16th, 2025.

We are exploring several core concerns at the intersection of technology and governance, reading excerpts and some entire works from some of the greatest minds – from Plato and Aristotle to Francis Bacon and John Locke – as well as works from contemporaries such as Samo Burja and Marc Andreessen. These core concerns include:

  1. Innovation vs. Stability (Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch)
  2. Enhancement vs. Dependence (Plato, Rousseau, Neil Postman)
  3. Industry vs. Decadence (Plato, Locke)
  4. Adaptation vs. Domestication (Darwin, Matt Ridley, Christopher Ryan)
  5. Spontaneous Order vs. Centralized Control (Hobbes, Hayek)
  6. Social Technology and Civilizational Collapse (Samo Burja)
  7. Exploration of Core Themes in The New Atlantis (Francis Bacon)
  8. Exploration of Core Themes in The New Atlantis (cont.)
  9. The Future of Western Civilization: Progress or Return? (Douthat, Andreessen)

Read more about the series in our announcement post:

Announcing: Technology and Statecraft
Parnassus House is excited to announce our Summer 2025 series, Technology and Statecraft: the Perennial Problems. We invite you to join us.
Parnassus HouseNiko Kovacevic

Registration is now closed.

Machiavelli's The Prince

Parnassus House ran an eight-part seminar series on Machiavelli's The Prince from March 4th through April 22nd, 2025. Read our reflections from that series here:

Reflections on the enduring importance of The Prince
In studying The Prince, we encounter the question of the extent to which Machiavelli’s teaching is still relevant today. Great scholars have noted Machiavelli’s dual reputation, as both a “teacher of evil” and the first modern political scientist. Have we, with our twenty-first century civility and science, not
Parnassus HouseNiko Kovacevic

Plato's Republic

Parnassus House ran an eight-part seminar series on Plato's Republic from October 22nd through December 17th, 2024. Read our reflections from that series here:

Reflections on Plato’s Republic and the importance of education
Parnassus House recently completed its inaugural seminar series on Plato’s Republic. Many thanks to all who participated and dedicated their time to reading and discussing it with us. To mark the occasion, I’d like to offer a brief reflection on what we learned about Plato’s view of
Parnassus HouseNiko Kovacevic