2. Preface:
the evolution of a Shimer student
Where do readers
come from?
Are they born of literary parents? Nurtured in well-
stocked libraries? Raised on a diet of semiotics
and structuralism?
Readers are individuals. They are deep thinkers
and voracious consumers (of facts, stories,
philosophies). They actively engage with other
perspectives and genuinely enjoy wrestling with
big ideas.
Shimer students may be many different things –
vegans, Francophiles, skydivers – but above all,
they are readers. They love to discuss, and they can’t
stand busywork. They are drawn to the Great Books
because the Great Books encourage a meaningful
examination of, well, just about everything.
Do you know a Shimer student? Are YOU a
Shimer student? If you’re ready to evolve your
reading life and join the Great Conversation – the
flow of human discourse from Plato to Pascal,
Simone de Beauvoir to Martin Luther King, Jr. –
then turn the page.
PD-1923
1
PD-1923

3. Stuart: Mohini:
Darwin uses words like “variety” and “species” It’s the first page of chapter two. He really gets
and “breed.” He seems on the one hand to try to into it. And he makes a good point: “No one
preserve some principle with his categorizations, definition has satisfied all naturalists, yet every
but on the other to say it’s a matter of opinion. naturalist knows vaguely what he means when he
I wonder about that. speaks of a species.” He goes on to say variety is
hard to define, but I know it when I see it.
The
evolution
of original
thought. Landis Masnor
That’s the true purpose of every Shimer
Sapulpa, Oklahoma
class. And the beauty is that at Shimer, Primary academic interest:
everyone is equally engaged (and respectful Social Sciences and Theology
of one another’s opinion). And no two I knew I had become a Shimerian when:
classes are ever the same. Missing Assembly* felt irresponsible.
In the following pages you’ll meet a few
Chicago or New York? Chicago, no
Shimerians and you’ll see how things unfold question. It’s the underdog. Batman
when they sit down with a faculty facilitator lives here. Chicago does sleep.
to delve into the early chapters of Darwin’s
Nature or nurture? Both! Because nurture
The Origin of Species. shapes nature. And if you’re Freud, nature
shapes nurture, which shapes nature. But
Fair warning: The in-depth nature of a
I don’t think he figured that last part out.
typical classroom conversation can,
on occasion, cause existential crises, Gypsy or jetsetter? Jesus loves ’em both.
But there’s a reason he hung out with the
changes in personal philosophy, and
gypsies more. They’re more fun.
intellectual upheaval.
* ee page 17 for more about democratic
S
shared-governance at Shimer.
“Nor shall I here discuss the various definitions which have been given of the
term species. No one definition has as yet satisfied all naturalists; yet every
naturalist knows vaguely what he means when he speaks of a species. Generally
the term includes the unknown element of a distinct act of creation. The term
‘variety’ is almost equally difficult to define; but here community of descent is
almost universally implied, though it can rarely be proved.” – Charles Darwin
PD-1923
2 3

4. Vicky Costello
Mazon, Illinois “In considering the Origin of Species,
Primary academic interest: it is quite conceivable that a naturalist,
Social Sciences and/or Humanities
I knew I had become a Shimerian when:
Stuart: Trillian: reflecting on the mutual affinities of
organic beings, on their embryological
I started using the phrase “cultural relativity” Do you think that he wants to demonstrate I know he discusses that, but I don’t think
to end an argument. relations, their geographical distribution,
the utility of taxonomy? he talks about it here. geological succession, and other such
Gypsy or jetsetter? I’m not entirely
sure what a “jetsetter” is. The way I dress facts, might come to the conclusion that
screams “gypsy,” so I suppose I could go
with that one. On the other hand, if this
Mohini: Neel: each species had not been independently
mysterious “jetsetter” thing is some form of It puts pressure on taxonomy to be more Right, that’s where you don’t get different created, but had descended, like varieties,
jetpack I could put on, I would, of course, detailed, so when you come across an animal species; you get different breeds of pigeons. from other species.”
choose jetsetter.
in one color and then in another color, you So I’m wondering: Does that get rid of species
Kant or Kafka? Neither, please. But allow
me to offer Machiavelli as an alternative. have to make far harder choices. Where do altogether, or do you just have to be very
True, he doesn’t have that lovely alliteration
that you all were going for, but he wrote the
you draw the line for a species? What about careful? At some point, you have a red bird and
catch-all encyclopedia of how to win the interbreeding? When animals interbreed are a blue bird and a purple bird. Are those three
people over. He would easily beat both Kant
and Kafka in a fight. they still in the same species? different species? Are they two?
4 5

5. Mohini: Vicky:
Well, we’re talking about the difficulty in To be the same species, two animals need to be
language, in defining. And I don’t think getting able to breed and produce viable offspring. So,
rid of the language is going to help. We can with what you said, Neel, if those blue and red
either talk about each red bird and each blue bird and purple birds can all reproduce with each other
without recognizing they are all the same kind without having sterile children like lions and
of bird, they just have different colored feathers, tigers do, then they’re all part of the same species.
or we can group them together by difficult If they can’t, well, then you’ll just have these
characteristics. Do we lose something by ignoring useless ligers!
their individual characteristics? Yes, but do we gain
something by grouping them together? I think so.
Stuart Patterson
Scottsdale, Arizona
Primary academic interest:
Utopia and its discontents.
I knew I had become a Shimerian when:
I finished my “light paper” (the final essay
in Natural Sciences 3, in which I was
a student during my first semester as a
faculty member).
PD-1923
Chicago or New York? Seattle? And I’ve
never been to Toronto, but I hear it’s nice
there, too.
Nature or nurture? Yes? I wouldn’t want
to be stuck wholly in one or the other.
Gypsy or jetsetter? Cosmopolite. In the
ancient sense of the term.
Kant or Kafka? Kierkegaard. That is,
both/and.
Kindle or paperback? Memory. I like
reading, but I like remembering even more.
“The author of the ‘Vestiges of Creation’ would, I presume, say that, after
a certain unknown number of generations, some bird had given birth to a
woodpecker, and some plant to the misseltoe, and that these had been produced
PD-1923
perfect as we now see them; but this assumption seems to me to be no
explanation, for it leaves the case of the coadaptations of organic beings to each
other and to their physical conditions of life, untouched and unexplained.”
6 7

6. PD-1923
Michael:
Back to language for a moment … I’m wondering Mohini:
if to properly define species, you first have to We see that to some degree today. We see people
look at your motivation for seeking the definition. looking for the gene for homosexuality and
Do we make a detailed catalog of all possible wanting to have designer babies. And is that a
traits because we simply want to categorize them danger? Are we twisting around nature’s idea
Mohini Lal and have a greater knowledge, OR do we want that has no real purpose?
McKinney, Texas to categorize them so we can keep track of what
Primary academic interest:
we think these animals should be like? It seems
Social Sciences (Pre-Law) as though in this chapter the whole purpose of
I knew I had become a Shimerian when: categorization is to fulfill a desire that humans have
I woke up one morning and was constructing
Punnett squares in my head before I even made to control nature.
it to the sink to brush my teeth.
Chicago or New York? Chicago, hands down.
I live here because I want to live here; Shimer
is an added bonus.
Nature or nurture? Nurture, à la Simone
de Beauvoir.
Kant or Kafka? Conklin, or Kingsolver, maybe.
Kindle or paperback? Whichever is handiest to
get some reading done. Usually I read novels on
my phone’s Google Books app.
Mohini came to Shimer prior to high school
graduation through the Early Entrant program. Michael Doherty
For more information about this program,
contact the Admission Office.
Evanston, Illinois
Primary academic interest:
Using philosophical discourse to inspire
mindful, positive, and practical change.
I knew I had become a Shimerian when:
A book ceased to be a book and became an
ever-potentially-explosive learning device.
Nature or nurture? Nurture. Two things
seem to define being human: having life
and imagination. Nature takes care of birth
and death, but everything in between – the
meaning, purpose, and quality of life – is a
matter of human imagination. If “choice” is
another word for “being able to imagine and
create alternatives,” what else is imagination
but potential imaginaction?
“As many more individuals of each species are born than can possibly survive;
and as, consequently, there is a frequently recurring struggle for existence,
it follows that any being, if it vary however slightly in any manner profitable
to itself, under the complex and sometimes varying conditions of life, will
have a better chance of surviving, and thus be naturally selected.”
8 9

7. Michael:
I don’t know if Darwin offers an
explicit answer one way or the
other, but it brings us back to an
earlier question. Do we think we Landis:
can compartmentalize species or Darwin is mapping species Neel Rana
do we keep things as a spectrum differently from Lamarck, Livermore, California
so that when you bring up who puts humans at the Primary academic interest:
Ethics in general, in particular Utilitarian
humans it’s like, “Ah well, top. According to Lamarck, and Pragmatic.
humans seem to display these all creatures are striving to I knew I had become a Shimerian when:
traits, so …” Maybe humans are become what humans have What I was reading and what I was discussing
became so genuinely interesting that it no
uncomfortable with things being become. What Darwin is longer seemed like work.
Trillian Bergmann one big spectrum. Maybe we saying is that humans aren’t Gypsy or jetsetter? Gypsy. To reference a
Madison, Wisconsin need extreme categorization. “purposed” – whatever form recent Dr. Who episode: You always want to
go to Apalapucia, not the Planet of the Coffee
Primary academic interest: species have taken is incidental. Shops. Sure, going off the beaten path may
Basically everything, but specifically
Humanities and the overlap of Humanities Mohini: Darwin does invoke a Creator,
get you into trouble (in the Doctor’s case it
always does), but in the end the experience is
but he’s removing choice from worth so much more.
and Natural Sciences. Well, it’s the deconstruction
the creation of species. Kant or Kafka? Kafka’s brilliant, don’t get
I knew I had become a Shimerian when: of a hierarchy. We can so me wrong, but as someone who’s interested
I started getting (and making) the jokes.
easily change the animals in ethics, and as fundamentally a structural
Nature or nurture? I prefer to see it as It seems like Darwin is thinker, Kant is just the best.
a combination. Biology isn’t destiny and when we start applying these
not everything is socially determined. turning away from the idea
principles to humans as
Looking at it this way gives you the most that there is a conscious
freedom and choice. organisms. It’s the destruction
design behind creation. In
Kindle or paperback? The only drawback to of a hierarchy because we’re
books is that there’s a limit to how many I can Chapter 1, he starts with an
bring home with me. I’ve always loved the not up above animals. We’re
analogy that likens natural
feeling of being surrounded by bound paper. one of the animals with very
selection to conscious
interconnected rules.
breeding. That is, it looks like
intention in speciation, but
nature isn’t conscious, and
therefore can’t act consciously.
PD-1923
“No one ought to feel surprise at much remaining as yet unexplained in
regard to the origin of species and varieties, if he makes due allowance for our
profound ignorance in regard to the mutual relations of all the beings which
live around us.”
10 11

8. Trillian: Stuart:
I think this connects to something we were And the outcomes of breeding
discussing earlier: Darwin’s idea of conscious can be surprising.
breeding leads us back to the question of how
to properly define species. Landis:
In discussing this it’s hard not to draw from other
Stuart: sources, like Mendel. This conversation has made
How so? me see that Darwin is expounding on his theory
of a process, and yet he still doesn’t know how the
Trillian: process originates. Mendel gives more of an answer.
With breeding, you see how different kinds of Darwin looks like he’s falling back on ideas like
animals are able produce viable offspring. If creators, and his doubts in that first chapter show
the parents are TOO different, however, it’s him working out a new idea – one he himself still
not successful. So, it seems that the conscious has questions about.
decision-making in breeding and what
Darwin’s talking about . . .
Stuart:
You mean chance in natural selection?
Trillian:
Yes – they’re similar because they’re both
constrained. Neither breeders nor nature
can successfully combine animals that
are too different. But the constraints aren’t
always obvious.
PD-1923

9. And after four years of PROFOUND intellectual inquiry?
You’ll Be
Ready for More.
(Shimer is in the top 1% of U.S. colleges in the rate at
which our graduates go on to get PhDs.)
Shimer more closely resembles a graduate the Humanities, Natural Sciences, Social
program than your typical undergraduate Sciences, and Integrative Studies. If you
experience. You won’t find big, anonymous see yourself majoring in something really
lecture-style classes here; instead, you’ll specific – engineering or medieval history,
sit around a table with eight or nine other say – Shimer is probably not for you. On
students (and one faculty member, who’s the other hand, if you’re looking for a
really more of a facilitator than a professor) broad intellectual foundation, one that will
and engage in free-flowing inquiry. You’ll serve you well on any life path, then this is
use the power of thoughtful discourse to the place!
unlock the meaning of the text – and to And if you’re concerned that a Great
spur a mind-opening series of questions Books education might be too “classical,”
and answers. think again. A significant part of your
Shimer students study original source coursework is made up of electives, and
material, the Great Books of Western you can register for those classes either
civilization. And in light of the present-day at Shimer or at other colleges in the area
estimation of who’s made Western civilization (such as the Illinois Institute of Technology,
“great,” you’ll also read contemporary, non- our host campus, or the VanderCook College
Western, female, and ethnically diverse of Music).
thinkers. (As one of our faculty members As a Shimer graduate, you’ll have the
has been known to say, “This is Reformed confidence and intellectual flexibility to be
Great Books, not Orthodox.”) Most successful in any arena you choose, from
important, the program encourages a politics to business to social activism.1 You
critical reading of these works. The author definitely won’t suffer from not having
is another “voice” at the table, one whose taken any “Intro to” or “Survey of ” classes.
opinion is to be respected, but who isn’t off (Or from missing out on four years of tests
limits to questioning. and lectures; turns out there aren’t many
Great books and great ideas don’t fit tests and lectures in the “real” world.)
into tidy categories: to be understood, they You’ll be accustomed to encountering
demand their readers make connections different perspectives and comprehending
between many disparate fields of knowledge. new things. You’ll have fine-tuned your
So, Shimer doesn’t offer traditional majors. values. And you’ll be ready to live a creative,
Rather, you can concentrate your studies in fulfilling life.
1. What, don’t believe us? If there’s a particular career you think you might want to pursue, contact
the admissions office and they can put you in touch with a Shimer alum who’s working in the field
that interests you.
14 15

10. Shimer may seem small,
but the truth is you’ll have access to
All the
Resources of A
Large Urban Campus,
not to mention a diverse, historic city as your backyard.
Shimer is a community within a community: exactly the same weight. In other words, we
a small, private liberal arts college housed don’t just talk about democracy at Shimer;
in a much larger university (the Illinois we practice it!
Institute of Technology). Shimer is located There is a genuine feeling of camaraderie
on IIT’s main campus – designed by Mies here, and not just because of our small size.
van der Rohe, for you architecture buffs – Shimer is a community because our students
in the historic Bronzeville neighborhood of share an intellectual life. When you reference
southside Chicago. an idea from Plato’s Symposium or a concept
As a Shimer student you’ll take most from Einstein’s Relativity, your fellow students
of your classes with fellow Shimerians, but will know what you’re talking about and will
outside of class, the social scene is as big as respond with their own ideas – ones that will
you care to make it. You’ll have access to help you discover new connections. You may
all of IIT’s student facilities, as well as the not always agree with your classmates, but
university’s 150 clubs and organizations. you’ll know that they’ve done the reading
(Then again, some of the most fun you’ll have and are trying their best to comprehend the
at Shimer is the unplanned kind. Like getting material, just as you are. They’ll respect you
together with your classmates to watch for standing by your opinion. And even more
terrifically bad movies. Or trawling the city for changing your mind.
for vintage clothing and vegan soulfood.) All this takes place against the backdrop
Shimer students also have a role in of Chicago, one of the most historic, high-
running the institution, something you energy, and culturally rich cities in the
won’t find at most colleges. Since the late U.S. Whether you’re passionate about art
1970s, Shimer students, faculty, staff, or theater or film or food, there’s plenty
administrators, and trustees have all been to discover. Wander the halls of the Art
enfranchised in the school’s governance Institute or the Museum of Contemporary
through the College’s Assembly, a democratic Art. Stargaze at the Adler Planetarium. Lose
body that meets regularly. Through a series yourself in a deep-dish pizza at Malnati’s or
of committees, the voting members of the Gino’s East. You could be here for decades
Assembly have a say in the business of the and never get to the bottom of this city!
College – and every person’s voice carries
Shimer tends to attract its share of artistic people, and you’ll have ample opportunity to
showcase your creative side. Check out YouTube videos of Orange Horse, our annual Vaudevillian
extravaganza, and you’ll see what we mean.
16 17

11. oxford
university
Where does every brainy, creative, scholarly student
really, really want to study? It’s the oldest English-
speaking university in the
world (and could be your
Oxford,
home away from home).
of course.
Shimer will send you there
(among other places).
One of our recent graduates said it best: lay a foundation for future plans. Summer
“Shimer-in-Oxford is the longest, most student internships have included a stint at
inspiring, most educational vacation I’ve ever Loyola University’s Women and Leadership
taken.” Imagine poring over ancient texts in Archives; a trip to Haiti to work with a
the Bodleian Library, or gazing at Egyptian microfinance organization; and an internship
Antiquities at the Ashmolean Museum. with an eco-friendly bed and breakfast in
Maybe even nipping over to the Eagle and Montezuma, Costa Rica.
R enee M eschi .
Child (the very pub once frequented by J.R.R. And back in Chicago, on campus, the
Tolkien and C.S. Lewis) for fish and chips. scholarship is equally far-reaching. Twice
Juniors and seniors are eligible for the during your time at Shimer you’ll take
Oxford program and can choose to go for a comprehensive exams, which are intensive
pupa , and self - portrait by
semester or an entire year. The program follows weeklong events designed to showcase how
the classic “Oxbridge” (Oxford and Cambridge) well you’ve absorbed and understood the
system of tutorials: You’ll meet once a week material. When you’re not “comping” at the
with your professor, called a tutor, and between end of a semester, you’ll complete a semester
meetings will study, write, and read more project. It must in some way relate to the core
than you’ve ever read before. But don’t curriculum, but other than that, the sky’s
worry – your first and second years at Shimer the limit. You can embark on a journey of Costa Rica
J onathan T imm . B utterfly ,
will have prepared you well! Past topics of experimental cuisine, create an original work
Student Renee Meschi
student tutorials have ranged from “Principles of art, or write anything from a research immerses herself in the
meditative rhythms of life
of Architecture” to “Plato on the Afterlife” to paper to a collection of poetry. in Montezuma.
“Evolutionary Biology.” (Darwin would have Your final magnum opus at Shimer is
been so proud…) You’ll also continue to take a Senior Thesis, a yearlong project that you
upper-level Shimer core courses. will work on with two faculty advisors. The
and bookshelf by
Oxford is an academic adventure like Thesis does not have to directly relate to your
no other – but it’s not the only exceptional course of study; instead, it’s an opportunity
experience you’ll have at Shimer. The highly for you to explore a topic of your choosing
competitive Shimer Internship Program is and demonstrate the critical, analytical, and
another opportunity for a select number creative abilities you’ve developed during
O xford C amera
of students to broaden their horizons and your years at Shimer.
of
P hotos : I nterior
When not hitting the books, Shimer-in-Oxford students have plenty of time to explore, with
excursions to London, Stonehenge, and Stratford-Upon-Avon.
18 19

12. If you think you have
Shimerian genes (we think
you do, or you wouldn’t be
reading this),
come visit.
It’s the best way to see if
Shimer is right for you.
shimer.edu
You can tour the campus, meet students
and professors, and sit in on a class or two.
If you’ve already been to campus, it’s
time to apply. We admit students for both the
fall and spring semesters and no minimum
grade point average or test score is required.
(We care more about your interview and
writing samples.)
You can learn more about admission,
campus visits, tuition, and financial aid at
shimer.edu.
In the meantime, if you have questions,
feel free to give us a call at (312) 235-3500
or email us at admission@shimer.edu.
You might just be
a Shimer student.
Shimer College is an equal opportunity educator and employer. The College does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, gender, gender identification/expression, national origin,
sexual orientation, or disability in admittance of students, granting of financial aid, or hiring and retention of faculty, administrative staff, and other employees. Shimer College is firmly committed
to the development and maintenance of equal opportunity and affirmative action in all aspects of the College.
20

13. 3424 S. State St., Chicago, IL 60616
phone: 312.235.3500
fax: 888-808-3133