The Moral Life and the Classical Tradition Seminar is a week-long program for those who will be high school juniors and seniors in fall 2012, and who are interested in the ancient philosophical tradition and its influence in the Christian moral life. The seminar, which will take place June 24-30, 2012 on the campus of Princeton University, is offered to both boys and girls, though instruction and extracurricular activities are separate. The seminar consists of two complementary components: a classical course on the Dialogues of Plato and a course on topics in Christian moral thought. In the course on Plato, students will explore Plato's Apology, Crito, Phaedo, Euthyphro, and Meno. The course in Christian moral thought will consist of classes on the rational foundations of Christianity, addressing such topics as Faith and Reason, Christianity and Science, Christianity and Sexual Ethics, Marriage and Family, and Christianity and Bioethical Principles.

Both courses will consist of a great deal of discussion and interaction between the students and the teacher; students therefore are expected to be well prepared by reading and understanding beforehand the assigned readings. Classes will be supplemented with quiet time for study and with extracurricular activities such as sports, cultural outings, and opportunities for spiritual reflection. The Moral Life and the Classical Tradition Seminar is a challenging intellectual experience that brings high school students into direct contact with serious scholars of the humanities. As one student wrote,

I write this e-mail to express my gratitude to you for teaching the seminar. Your teaching of the Socratic Method and the various philosophies of Socrates has truly opened my eyes. I am thinking about things I never even considered before, and for the first time in far too long I feel wholly intellectually stimulated. What is more, I am now so interested in Plato and Socrates that I am actually pursuing the subject outside of class, which is something that - I will admit! - I have not done in a long time.

Students live for the week in the dormitories of Princeton University under the guidance and direction of Residential Advisors (RAs). Various recreational activities are organized in the Princeton area after seminar sessions.

Faculty
Matthew B. O'Brien, Villanova University
Ana Samuel, The Witherspoon Institute
Seana Sugrue, Ave Maria University

Eligibility
Those who will be juniors or seniors in high school in the fall of 2012 may apply the seminar.

Application Requirements
Please submit the following forms and document via email to Octavia Ratiu (oratiu@winst.org) by April 13, 2012:
1. Completed Application Form
2. One letter of recommendation from a high school teacher or private tutor
3. A 500-word essay answering the following question posed by Plato's teacher Socrates in the dialogue Meno:
"Is virtue something that can be taught? Or does it come by practice? Or is it neither teaching nor practice that gives it to a man, but natural aptitude or something else?" (Meno 70a)
4. Official high school transcripts emailed to Octavia Ratiu (oratiu@winst.org) or mailed to:    
            MLCT Seminar Admissions
            Attn.: Octavia Ratiu
            The Witherspoon Institute
            16 Stockton Street
            Princeton, NJ 08540
Applicants should expect to receive a decision by April 20, 2012.

Registration Fee and Facilities
A $300 seminar fee will be required of all accepted applicants. This fee covers readings, room, and board on the campus Princeton University for the duration of the seminar.