Reading Lonergan's Insight: A Study of Human Understanding: Time: 10:30 am – 12 pm, alternate Saturdays. This seminar meets live at the Lonergan Institute and online via the Internet, which allows Dr. David Fleischacker to conduct the seminar remotely from Bismarck, North Dakota. Dr. Ron Vardiman and Br. Dunstan Robidoux assist at the Institute in Washington, DC. The meetings begin on alternate Saturdays at 10:30 am and end at noon. To participate online via Skype, or to attend the seminar, please contact Br. Dunstan Robidoux. Below please find the weekly notes and podcasts from past seminars. Insight: A Study of Human Understanding by Bernard Lonergan, S.J.

Regular Participants: Dr. Ron Vardiman, Br. Dunstan Robidoux, John Kohl in Washington, Terry Carlson, Ron Shady, Kieran Dickinson, Tony Russo, and Dr. David Nordquest.

Podcasts and Outlines on  Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4

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Chapter 4 The Complementarity of Classical and Statistical Investigations

  • Section 1 Podcast. Outline. (Created March 8, 2008) 
    • Complementary Heuristic Structures
    • Complementary Procedures
    • Complementary Formulations
    • Complementary Modes of Abstraction
    • Complementary in Verification
    • Complementary in Data Explained
  • Section 2.1 – 2.4 Podcast. Outline. (Created April 26, 2008) 
    • General Characteristics of the View
    • Schemes of Recurrence
    • The Probabilities of Schemes
    • Emergent Probability
  • Section 2.5 Podcast. Outline. (Created May 10, 2008) 
    • Consequent Properties 1 and 2 of Emergent Probability
  • Section 2.5 Podcast. Outline. (Created May 24, 2008)
    • Consequent properties 3-12 of Emergent Probability
  • Section 2.5  Podcast. (Created May 31, 2008) 
    • Emergent Probability
  • Section 2.5 Podcast. Human Examples. (Created September 13, 2008)
    • Recap on Emergent Probability 
    • More Examples
  • Section 3 Podcast. Outline. (Created September 27, 2008) 
    • Emergent Probability in Contrast to Other World Views.

Chapter 3 Canons of Empirical Method

  • Sections 1 Podcast. Outline (Created September 29, 2007) 
    • Summary of Chapter 2
    • Canon of Selection
  • Sections 2 and 3 Podcast. Outline (Created November 3, 2007) 
    • Canon of Operations
    • Canon of Relevance.
  • Sections 4 and 5 Podcast. Outline. (Created November 17, 2007) 
    • Canon of Parsimony
    • Canon of Complete Explanation
  • Sections 6.1 and 6.2 Podcast. Outline. (Created December 8, 2007) 
    • The General Argument for Statistical Residues
    • The Notion of Abstraction
  • Sections 6.2 (continued) and 6.3 Podcast. Outline 6.2. Outline 6.3. (Created January 19, 2008) 
    • The Meaning of Abstraction
    • The Abstractness of Classical Laws
  • Sections 6.5 Podcast. Outline. (Created February 2, 2008)
    • The Existence of Statistical Residues

Chapter 2 Heuristic Structures of Empirical Method

  • Sections 1 – 2.3 Podcast. Outline. (Created April 14, 2007)
    • Comparison of Mathematical and Scientific Insights
    • Introduction to Classical Heuristic Structures
    • Understanding the Nature of….
    • Classifications based on sensible similarity vs. explanatory similarity.
  • Section 2.4 Podcast. Outline. (Created April 28, 2007) 
    • Differential Equations in Classical Heuristic Structures 
  • Sections 2.5 and 2.6 Podcast. Outline. (Created May 12, 2007)
    • Invariance in Classical Laws.
  • Section 3 Podcast. (Created June 2, 2007) 
    • Concrete Inferences from Classical Laws. 
    • Systematic and Non-Systematic Process.
  • Section 4.1 Podcast. Outline. (Created June 30, 2007) 
    • Systematic and Non-Systematic Process
    • Contrast of Classical and Statistical Heuristic Structures
  • Sections 4.2 – 4.4 Podcast. Outline. (Created September 15, 2007)
    • Inverse Insight and Statistical Method
    • The Nature of Probability
    • Analogy of Classical and Statistical Heuristic Structures

Chapter 1 Elements 

  • Introduction Podcast. Outline. (created January 20, 2007)
  • Sections 1 and 2 Podcast. Outline. (created February 3, 2007)
    • A Dramatic Instance
    • Definitions
  • Sections 2 continued and 3 Podcast. Outline. (created February 17, 2007)
    • Definitions
    • Higher Viewpoints
  • Section 3 (cont) Podcast. Outline. (created March 3, 2007)
    • Higher Viewpoints
  • Section 4 Podcast. Outline. (created March 17, 2007)
    • Inverse Insight
  • Section 5 Podcast. Outline. (created March 31, 2007)
    • Empirical Residue

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