12 sessions

“Modern Philosophy: Kant to the Present” Listening Group

Learn and compare the competing philosophic ideas that shaped the Western world and continue shaping it today—morally, culturally, and politically.

About the Course

Learn and compare the competing philosophic ideas that shaped the Western world and continue shaping it today—morally, culturally, and politically.

The history of Western philosophy is the story of the fundamental causes that created the world in which we live. What is the fundamental nature of existence or reality? What is our means of knowledge? What are values and morality—and where do they come from? What are the essential features of a civilized society?

These are the questions on which philosophy is focused. And the answers philosophers have given throughout the ages have caused knowledge and ignorance, happiness and misery, freedom and tyranny, life and death.

In this listening group, Tim White will lead discussions of Leonard Peikoff’s lecture series “Modern Philosophy: Kant to the Present [i.e., to Ayn Rand].” As Dr. Peikoff says in his opening lecture, at the end of the course, you will have “not merely an increased understanding of the causes of the state of today’s world, but also a philosophic arsenal to enable you more successfully to combat what needs combating and to defend what needs defending.”

Come learn and discuss the ideas that gave rise to the modern world and that are shaping its future. The knowledge you’ll gain will enable you to think more clearly, live more fully, and defend liberty more effectively.

Please note that this is an intermediate/advanced course that assumes some prior knowledge of both Objectivism and philosophy in general. It is highly recommended that you complete or audit “Founders of Western Philosophy: Thales to Hume (opens in a new tab)” before enrolling in this course.

Cost:

$497

Full scholarship available

Tim White

Meet Your Instructor

Tim White

Tim White is a classically trained writer and editor, literary analyst, and writing teacher who has studied philosophy (Objectivism in particular) since 2006. He is also the award-winning author of The Nightmare Machine, the first book of the Soulaerium horror-thriller trilogy. He lives in Arizona, where he and his wife own an escape room venue. Learn more at TimWhiteWriting.com (opens in a new tab).

How This Course Works

Sessions will run on Mondays from September 7 through November 23, 2026. They will be held from 10am–11:30am PT in September and October, and will shift to 9am–10:30am PT in November, when daylight saving time ends in the United States.

This course is interactive and discussion-driven, so enrollment is limited. Register early to secure your spot.

Participants will listen to the provided lecture recordings from “Modern Philosophy: Kant to the Present (opens in a new tab)” before each live session.

The course is held live on a video conferencing app called Zoom, which you can download for free here (opens in a new tab). Sessions are video recorded, so if you miss a session (or want to review), you can watch the recording.

The course is 18 hours long, consisting of 12 sessions of 1.5 hours each. Homework assignments are optional. Doing them may require an additional hour or more per week but will greatly enhance what you learn in this course.

Course handouts and supplementary materials are delivered via email. Course participants are invited to an exclusive OSI Courses group on Facebook, where they can post questions and engage in discussions with the instructor and other participants.

Have a question that wasn’t answered here? Read our FAQ (opens in a new tab) or email us at [email protected].

Frequently Asked Questions