These notes, while addressed to Fellows of the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions in Santa Barbara, California, are particularly relevant to St. John's College. Stringfellow Barr introduced dialogue to St. John's as president of the college from 1937 to 1946. With Dean Scott Buchanan, he created a liberal arts curriculum built upon studnets' discussion of great books in philosophy, literature, theology, histroy, economics, and political philosophy, and science.
