WT’s February Great Books Discussion to Spotlight Famed Philosopher’s Agrarian-Themed Musings

CANYON, Texas — A segment of a Danish philosopher’s treatise on human existence with a regionally resonant title will be featured in the February installment of West Texas A&M University’s Great Books Series.

Dr. Laurence Bloom, a professor at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, South Africa, will lead a virtual discussion of Søren Kierkegaard’s “Rotation of Crops” from the first section of his first published work, “Either/Or.”

The discussion will begin at 7 p.m. Feb. 14 via Zoom.

“Kierkegaard is that rare philosopher that combines deep insight with a genuine talent for writing,” said series organizer Dr. Daniel Bloom, WT associate professor of philosophy. “Larry is one of the first people I ever met, which is part of the role of an older brother, and I’m very excited to hear what he has to say about this essay and to see where the discussion takes us.”

The discussion series — sponsored by the Department of English, Philosophy and Modern Languages — is open to those who either have or haven’t read the book, Daniel Bloom said.

WT professors and guest lecturers lead the monthly discussions.

The series began in 2011 and is traditionally held on the second Tuesday of the month at Burrowing Owl Books, 7406 S.W. 34th Ave., Suite 2B, in Amarillo.

To register for the February discussion, email Bloom at [email protected].

The series is one way in which WT serves the region by offering engagement with a variety of literary and philosophical texts. Being a learner-centered university is a key principle of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic, $125 million One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. To date, the five-year campaign — which publicly launched in September 2021 — has raised more than $115 million.