No. You won’t get a degree here. This is not a formal institution, nor even an institution at all. This is my private garden, in which I feel free to lecture and expound... and in which I’ll gladly entertain your ideas on some of the topics here.

The original Academy, the Academia, was a public garden or area near Athens, left to the Athenians by one Academus (or Hecademus), for the purpose of gymnastics—which might have meant more than just athletics. Be that as it may, the connection between sports and “academic” institutions seems to have been present at the beginning, despite Ambrose Bierce. In Bierce's The Devil’s Dictionary, which I heartily recommend to anyone, there are two definitions. “Academe” is defined as “[a]n ancient school where morality and philosophy were taught.” On the other hand, “Academy” is defined with tongue in cheek as “[a] modern school where football is taught.” My “academy” seems, actually, to be like neither of Bierce’s definitions, but more like the original Academia. Within the Academia was a small, individual garden belonging to Plato. There Plato held forth on the topics dear to his heart, to those who came to his school there. I must assume that Plato also listened to those who came to listen, but I cannot confirm that anywhere. Be that as it may, I will listen, not having anything like Plato’s stature anyway. If anyone would like to leave me as a patrimony some small, private garden in a grove of sacred olive trees in sight of Athens’ acropolis, please  feel free to contact me posthaste, and I will consider assuming Plato’s stature.

I’ll try to post things from time to time, and I’ll try to keep up and modify things I’ve posted. If you feel like replying, please do it by e-mail. If you send me something by e-mail, it means you are giving me leave to post any or all of it here without compensation. (Your e-mail should unequivocally state otherwise, if that is not your intention. My copy of your e-mail  will govern in this regard.) Maybe in time I’ll make it easier by having a guestbook for this purpose here.

Let me note that when I say I will  consider anything you wish to say on the topics here, I mean it. The olive trees in the original grove of Academus were said to have been grown from cuttings from a sacred olive tree; and their oil was used as a prize at Athenian games. Later, when Athens was under siege by Scylla, those sacred trees (or some of them) were cut down by Scylla’s forces, who wanted their wood in making siege engines. The academics always seem to be cut down in the service of war. May we always be able to talk... may the time when talking has to be laid aside for the sake of the siege engine be always far, far off.
 
 
 

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