Understanding the Five Predicables in Porphyry’s Introduction (Isagoge)

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This page provides a detailed explanation of the five predicables as taught in Porphyry’s Introduction. This work is also referred to by its Greek name, Isagoge. What are the Five Predicables? In his Introduction, Porphyry proposes five fundamental ways in which something may be predicated of a subject. These are called the five predicables: Genus, Species, Difference, Peculiarity, and Accident. These distinctions are necessary for understanding how things are defined and how they are related to one another in logical reasoning. When we ask what a thing is, what kind of thing it is, or what belongs to it, we … Continue

Lecture on Aristotle’s Ethics – Book I, Chapter 06

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Note: The following text is a direct transcription of the spoken lecture above. Welcome to the Classical Liberal Arts Academy. This lecture is intended for students enrolled in the Academy’s Philosophy 311, Classical Ethics course. If you’re not enrolled and would like to join us for self-paced studies, please visit classicalliberalarts.com. My name is William C. Michael. I’m the Academy headmaster, and I’ll be leading this study. Prelection The subject of this lesson is Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, Book One, Chapter Six. This chapter is a very difficult chapter for most students because it examines the question of whether there is … Continue

She Shall Be Saved Through Motherhood: Taking Up the Work God Has Given You

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The Work That Belongs to a Mother Many young mothers find themselves unsure of what to do when their children become disruptive in public. They feel torn between wanting to remain where they are and knowing that others may be distracted. These moments are not easy, and they can leave a mother feeling uncertain or even discouraged. I remember being in that place myself, and I had to learn these lessons slowly over time, and not always perfectly. One truth, however, became very clear to me. The care, training, and government of my children belonged to me. This was not … Continue

Choosing between Standard and Premium Tuition

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Families who enroll in the Classical Liberal Arts Academy are offered two modes of participation in the course of study: Standard Tuition and Premium Tuition. Both provide access to the full CLAA curriculum, but they differ in the manner in which that curriculum is pursued. The distinction is not one of content, but of guidance. Standard Tuition for Independent Study The Standard Tuition plan is designed for independent study. Students are given full access to all courses, assessments, and records, and parents oversee the daily work of their children. This arrangement serves families who are confident in directing their studies … Continue

Video Lectures Being Published

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The Classical Liberal Arts Academy will be adding many video lectures prepared to support students in the study of the classical Catholic curriculum. These lectures are designed to explain the content of course lessons in a clear and orderly manner, so that students may not only complete their assignments, but also understand challenging concepts as they study master texts in th seven liberal arts, philosophy, theology and the humanities. The purpose of these lectures is to provide students with clear and faithful explanations of their lessons, so that they may understand the content in an orderly and complete way. Each … Continue

Helping Women Love Their Husbands: Lessons from 28 Years of Marriage

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Today marks twenty-eight years of marriage for my husband and me. When I look back over those years, I do not see a perfect story. Instead, I see a faithful one. I see a life built not on feelings, but on daily choices—choices to love, to forgive, and to remain. This is what I hope to share with you today, as one wife speaking to another. The Calling Given to Wives St. Paul writes in the Letter to Titus that older women should train younger women “to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, chaste, good homemakers.” These words … Continue

CLAA Curriclum Development System

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A look behind the scenes at how work is getting done in the CLAA. The Classical Liberal Arts Academy is engaged in a work of uncommon scope and importance: the construction of a complete course of studies in the classical Catholic tradition. This is not a matter of assembling a few isolated courses, but of building an ordered curriculum that leads the student from the first elements of language and reasoning to the highest studies of philosophy and sacred theology. Such a task requires not only learning and devotion, but also careful organization, lest the work become irregular or incomplete. … Continue

The Absurdity of Modern Mathematics

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Mathematicians argue that negative numbers exist because they can serve as square roots for positive quantities. A screenshot of the OpenStax Algebra textbook above (the most widely used textboook in the world) provides an example of this teaching. This is fed to kids in schools and they drink it in as normal. This idea, however, was opposed for many years by philosophers who denied that it was possible for negative quantities to exist. This provides us with an opportunity to ask, “What, exactly, are we learning in modern Mathematics courses?” Is this truth? Or, is Mathematics some sort of “Trojan … Continue

Special Offers for Family, Annual Enrollment

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As we enter enrollment season in the Classical Liberal Arts Academy, we are happy to continue to offer several special enrollment options. Discounted Family Plans If you are enrolling more than three students in the Academy, you may be able to save by enrolling under our Family plans instead of individual Student plans. Discounted Annual Plans If you are committed to studies in the Academy, you can save by purchasing an annual enrollment rather than a monthly subscription. We offer two free months with annual enrollments. Please note that all special offers are non-refundable. These offers are intended for committed … Continue

The Greek Origin of Liberal Education

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This article provides a helpful explanation of the development of the seven liberal arts, based on the chapter on that subject in Thomas Davidson’s Aristotle and Ancient Educational Ideals. The tradition of the seven liberal arts did not arise in ancient Greece as a fixed or formal system, but developed gradually from a more unified understanding of education. This history is explained in my book Understanding Classical Catholic Education. In its earliest form, Greek culture recognized two principal branches of training: gymnastics for the body and music for the soul. Yet the Greek conception of “music” was far broader than … Continue