On October 28, 2024, our dear friend and mentor Eva Brann passed away at the age of 95. The consummate teacher and dissentient, she continued her engagement at St. John’s College in Annapolis right up until the end, and never shied away from asking the difficult questions. Radical in the best sense (from the Latin radicalis meaning “roots”), her final of more than 20 books and translations queries, Is Equality an Absolute Good?—to which she answers with her typical capaciousness of view, no, but…
In this short interview, filmed during her appearance on Continuing the Conversation, Eva explores the contradiction inherent in education: the necessity of giving a student something of substance, but to not shackle them to it. Additionally, she offers insight into the nature of philosophy, Great Books education, and the immigrant’s journey of becoming American—which she underwent in 1941 when she was forced at the age of twelve to flee Nazi Germany.
If you enjoyed this brief introduction to Eva and her thought, you can check out this longer biographical sketch in the Higher Gossip series. The world is a poorer, less thoughtful realm without her in it. But may her spirit live on in the countless sparks she has ignited in her students and the immortal words she has left to us.
Until we continue our conversation upon isles of the blessed.
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