Our Vision
We believe that every adult should have the opportunity to experience the joy and belonging that comes from shared intellectual exploration. We also believe an intellectual life should have an emotional core. Our courses invite adults to participate in the unpacking of life’s beautiful & enduring questions through the lens of great literature, poetry, non-fiction, visual art and film.
Led by instructors who seek to build a community of learners, Premise classes are joyful, purposeful, challenging, and unpretentious. Our students gather from all stages and walks of life committed to better understanding themselves and buoyed by the kinship that comes from learning with others.
A long tradition…with a modern sensibility.
Premise is founded on a long tradition of learning based in discussion. From Socratic seminars to French salons and, later, the Saturday Nighters groups of the Harlem Renaissance, learners have long gathered to grapple with life’s big questions by reading works that spark conversation.
We believe it is possible (and preferable!) to explore philosophy, literature, and history without pretension or elitism. We know that learning together can be both joyful and challenging.
Premise is different.
Is Premise a book club? Nope.
Book clubs are a terrific way to connect and learn. Yet, we know what it’s like to try to talk about a book with friends when there is no designated facilitator and guide. The expectation at Premise is that all students come prepared for class having read the text or watched the assigned film. Students arrive with questions, and the instructor leads the group in wid ranging and focused conversation centered on the enduring question of the class session.
Is Premise a College Class? Not Quite.
Premise courses do not require an application or assign grades. And, unlike the exceedingly expensive tuition common at most liberal arts colleges, we offer low and no-cost participation.
Premise courses are designed with the busy adult in mind, and we offer a variety of course lengths. Some classes meet for just one session, while others meet monthly for six months. There’s a course length that’s right for you!
Premise instructors are expert facilitators and deeply knowledgeable about the course content. They use what they know to deepen conversations and enhance student understanding by posing “just right” questions.