Modern Scholar
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The Modern Novel
by Katherine Elkins
read by Katherine Elkins
Part of the Modern Scholar series
A recipient of the Whiting Foundation Teaching Fellowship, Katherine Elkins is also the co-director of the Integrated Program in the Humane Studies at Kenyon College. In this lecture series, Elkins examines the development of the modern novel by investigating four great modernist authors: James Joyce, Franz Kafka, Marcel Proust, and Virginia Woolf. The lectures explore the authors' most respected works and illustrate how each author's unique style and vision made a major contribution to the look and shape of the novel today.
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(2)
Unearthing the Past
Paleontology and the History of Life
by Jeffrey W. Martz
read by Jeffrey W. Martz
Part of the Modern Scholar series
Jeffrey W. Martz of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science is widely renowned for his expertise in the field of paleontology, a science that lies at the crossroads of biology and geology. Paleontologists seek to unearth and re-create life hundreds of millions of years old, and the work of paleontologists offers us detailed glimpses of the prehistoric world. These fascinating lectures delve into the techniques and processes of paleontologists while providing a better understanding of this often misunderstood science.
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All the World a Stage
The Theater in History
by Megan Lewis
read by Megan Lewis
Part of the Modern Scholar series
In this engaging series of lectures, theatre historian, Megan Lewis takes listeners on a journey from the ancient world of the Greeks and Romans to the modern era as she explores how theatre, a live event that synthesizes many other art forms and disciples in a collaborative process of storytelling, entertains, educates, and inspires us, as well as helps build community and reflect society.
Dr. Lewis begins by mapping the ancient origins of performance, as a communal storytelling and mythmaking endeavor, while she discusses the traditional birthplace of theatre in ancient Greece as well as its African predecessors. Subsequent lectures explore the classical origins of theatre in the West; the Roman Theatre; theatre in the medieval world; the national theatres of Shakespeare and Lope de Vega; the Elizabethan, Jacobean, and Restoration periods; as well as non-Western performance traditions in Asia, Africa, and India.
In addition, physical theatres such as the Italian Commedia dell'arte and Japanese Bunraku puppetry are examined. Covering performances that make-believe and those that make-belief, Professor Lewis also passionately discusses the art, politics, and meaning of theatre and how it offers humans a space in which to imagine new realities and suggest different possibilities or to incite action and bring about social change.
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Heavens Above
Stars, Constellations, and the Sky
by James Kaler
read by James Kaler
Part of the Modern Scholar series
Have you ever gone outside at night to admire the stars? And wonder what they all are, and what stories they have to tell? Esteemed professor and astronomer James B. Kaler guides the listener through the sights of the naked eye sky, wherein we directly witness the effects of the turning and revolving of the Earth, the artistry painted by the human mind using the sky and stars, and how the view changes with time and with our place on the planet.
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(12)
Judaism, Christianity and Islam
The Monotheists
by Frank Peters
read by Frank Peters
Part of the Modern Scholar series
In everything that follows, "Bible" always means the Hebrew or Jewish Bible. The Christian Scriptures will always be called "New Testament" or "Gospels." Judaism, Christianity and Islam should be thought of as three faith communities rather than as three "religions." They are communities of believers, each with its own ideology, history (its ideology is often embedded in its history), its traditions, and, of course, its members, the great number of Jews, Christians and Muslims past and present. We cannot take much account of the members here, but they are the ones who are responsible for a good part of the ideology, history, and traditions. A distinction is sometimes made between history and sacred history. For all three groups, God is always somehow in charge of what happens to humans, but when God is thought to be more or less directly in charge, that is sacred history. The Bible, for example, is sacred history; what happened to the Jews afterwards is just plain history, where God appears to be (closely) observing events rather than directing them. But not in everyone's eyes: there are still any number of Jews, Christians and Muslims who regard whatever happens, or will happen, as God's doing, not man's. If the Arabic term is a little unfamiliar, "Islam" means "submission" (to God, of course), and a "Muslim" is "one who has submitted." The words are Arabic but not all Muslims are Arabs by a long shot, and great many Turks and Iranians and millions and millions of Indians and Indonesians will be upset if you insist that they are. Nor are all Arabs Muslims. Many Palestinian Arabs are Christians, for example. Christians too can be anything ethnic under the sun, and what the Jews are will emerge throughout this course. Finally, it's easier to study these communities if the student attempts to maintain objectivity about each of the "others."
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(19)
Biology of Birds
by John Kricher
read by John Kricher
Part of the Modern Scholar series
An esteemed professor of biology at Wheaton College, John Kricher leads a fascinating discussion of the approximately 10,000 species of birds that share our world. In these engaging lectures, Kricher expands on such topics as bird anatomy, the mechanics of flight, migration, reproduction, and song. The professor's lively presentation demonstrates how understanding the traits, life cycle, and evolution of birds is critical for an understanding of the origins and evolution of life on earth -- and why conservation plays a vital role in the environment's delicate balance.
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(16)
The Lost Warriors of God
The True History of the Knights Templar
by Thomas F. Madden
read by Thomas F. Madden
Part of the Modern Scholar series
Professor Madden examines one of the most fascinating organizations in world history: the Knights Templar, whose members gave up home, family, and worldly possessions to defend the Holy Land and the Christian pilgrims who journeyed there.
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Understanding the Holocaust
Recovering the Lost Tradition of Europe
by David Engel
read by David Engel
Part of the Modern Scholar series
In Understanding the Holocaust, Professor David Engel of New York University examines the encounter between Germany's Third Reich and the Jews of the twenty European countries that fell under Nazi domination between 1933 and 1945. The results of this encounter stretch human comprehension to the limit and raise frightening questions about the human condition. When it was over, two-thirds of Europe's Jews, some 5.8 million people, had died-and their deaths had occurred amid the most gruesome of circumstances. Engel explores the reasons behind the Holocaust and attempts to enter into the minds of the participants. From the origins of the idea behind the killing campaign to the notions of modernity that many blame for creating the possibility for such a happening, Engel offers an illuminating analysis of the twentieth century's great tragedy.
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(22)
The Medieval World I
Kingdoms, Empires, and War
by Thomas F. Madden
read by Thomas F. Madden
Part of the Modern Scholar series
This all-encompassing investigation of a highly influential time period includes the major events of the era and informative discussion of empire, papacy, the Crusades, and the fall of Constantinople. During the course of these lectures, Professor Madden also addresses the rise of Islam, reform movements, and schisms in the church. In so doing, Professor Madden underscores the significance and grand scale of an age that continues to hold an undeniable fascination for people today.
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The Author at Work
The Art of Writing Fiction
by Jenna Blum
read by Jenna Blum, Jonathan Todd Ross
Part of the Modern Scholar series
Best-selling author Jenna Blum has scored critical and commercial success with her novels Those Who Save Us and The Stormchasers. One of Oprah's Top Thirty Women's Writers, Blum has also taught creative writing at Boston University and master novel workshops for Grub Street Writers. Here Blum shares insights into the writing process and offers listeners the most important aspects of succeeding as an author
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The Russian Revolution: From Tsarism to Bolshevism
by Jonathan Smele
read by Jonathan Smele, Richard Poe
Part of the Modern Scholar series
The Russian Revolution of 1917 was a key turning point in the history of modern Europe and the world. For much of the twentieth century, politics were defined by attitudes to what had taken place in Russia in 1917. To understand the Russian Revolution, then, is to understand a key building block of modern history and the contemporary world. Senior lecturer and renowned Russian researcher Dr. Jonathan Smele sheds new light on the many forces that came to bear in tsarist Russia, from the emancipation of the serfs in the mid-nineteenth century to the climactic revolutions of the early twentieth century that brought the small Bolshevik party to power.
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Tolkien and the West
Recovering the Lost Tradition of Europe
by Michael D. C. Drout
read by Michael D. C. Drout
Part of the Modern Scholar series
The works of J.R.R. Tolkien are quite possibly the most widely read pieces of literature written in the 20th century. But as Professor Michael Drout illuminates in this engaging course of lectures, Tolkien's writings are built upon a centuries-old literary tradition that developed in Europe and is quite uniquely Western in its outlook and style. Drout explores how that tradition still resonates with us to this day, even if many Modernist critics would argue otherwise. He begins the course with the allegory of a tower - a device which Tolkien himself crafted in one of the most famous academic works of all time - as a way to illuminate how Tolkien's works continue and build upon a tradition that goes back as far as Beowulf itself.
Drout's lectures take us on a literary journey that explores Tolkien's most celebrated writings: The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion. As he brings these works life, he explains Tolkien's technique and themes, which he shows reverberate all the way back though the Western literary tradition. In the end, Drout shows us how J.R.R. Tolkien crafted literary worlds that the reader cares desperately about and wishes to save. Those worlds, in turn, are allegories for a Western literary tradition - a tower - that is worthy of preservation.
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Faith and Reason: The Philosophy of Religion
by Peter Kreeft
read by Peter Kreeft
Part of the Modern Scholar series
Through the ages, mankind has pursued questions of faith in something beyond the world of ordinary experience. Is there a God? How can we explain the presence of evil? Do humans, or human souls, live on after death? Is there a hell? The following lectures examine these eternal questions and present the most compelling arguments for and against God's existence, the seeming conflicts between religion and science, and the different truth-claims of the world's most popular religions. By delving into the major characteristics of world religions, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism, mankind's association with the many different varieties of religious practice is brought to light. Above all, Faith and Reason: The Philosophy of Religion lays the groundwork for a rational approach to pursuing questions of faith-and at the same time provides a better understanding of religion's ongoing importance in the realm of human experience.
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Rethinking Our Past
by James Loewen
read by James Loewen
Part of the Modern Scholar series
An esteemed academic for over 20 years, Dr. James W. Loewen also penned the best-seller Lies My Teacher Told Me. Through this enlightening lecture series, Dr. Loewen roots out many historical inaccuracies that are still taught to children today.
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The Glory That Was Greece
Greek Art and Archaeology
by Jennifer Tobin
read by Jennifer Tobin
Part of the Modern Scholar series
No ancient society has exerted greater influence on the development of Western culture than the ancient Greeks. Over two thousand years ago these people gave birth to the institution of democracy, to scientific investigation and philosophical dialogue, to poetry, both epic and personal, to historical narrative, and to comic and tragic theater. Their intensely creative spark also manifested itself in the arts: in architecture with the creation of temples for the gods, theaters for assembly and entertainment, and tombs for the dead, in sculpture that depicted the divine ideal and human frailty, and painting that illustrated the simple patterns of daily life, the poignancy of death, and the fickleness of the gods.
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The Giants of Irish Literature
Wilde, Yeats, Joyce, and Beckett
by George O'Brien
read by George O'Brien
Part of the Modern Scholar series
Oscar Wilde, W.B. Yeats, James Joyce, and Samuel Beckett: These four masters of Irish literature created works of startling innovation and unparalleled literary merit. They defied popular expectations and confounded critics with unique masterpieces that one might think of as puzzles, the solution of which lies at the heart of the modern age. Understanding the works of these greats, all associated to some degree with the Irish Literary Revival, is fundamental not only to a richer appreciation of Irish literature, but to a better comprehension of modern literature in all its manifestations, for these authors struggled with the idea of modernity and all it entailed, and the fruits of their struggle stand as monuments to the remarkable capacity of literary imagination. Renowned professor George O'Brien of Georgetown University provides the biographical background of these authors and an in-depth analysis of their greatest works. In the course of these lectures, O'Brien discusses the very qualities that set these works apart and the "Irishness" that characterizes each of them.
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Monsters, Gods, and Heroes
Approaching the Epic in Literature
by Timothy B. Shutt
read by Richard Davidson
Part of the Modern Scholar series
From the very outset in the West-from the time of Homer himself in about 750 BCE-the epic has been the most highly regarded of literary genres. It is rivaled only by tragedy, which arose a bit more than two centuries later, as the most respected, the most influential, and, from a slightly different vantage point, the most prestigious mode of addressing the human condition in literary terms. The major epics are the works that, from the very outset, everyone had heard of and everyone knew, at least by reputation. They are the works that had the most profound and most enduring cultural influence. And they are very much with us still, some more than others, but all-or all the most successful ones-are more or less firmly enshrined in cultural memory. They are still read. They are still taught. They still gain imitators and admirers. The stories they tell still shape our imagination and aspirations. In this course, we will revisit the epics, examining the stories told and the characters. We will consider the various styles represented and the societies in which these epics were constructed. Finally, we will arrive at an understanding of the epic as a genre and as a reflection of ancient history.
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Visions of Utopia
Philosophy and the Perfect Society
by Fred Baumann
read by Fred Baumann
Part of the Modern Scholar series
Since ancient times, philosophers have struggled with the concept of the ideal society, or utopia. Many have contributed to the widely varying possibilities for just what such a system might entail. Religious, economic, and political structures all help to shape the composition of these utopias, and as these visions are shared, they impact the way subsequent utopias are envisioned. In this fascinating series of lectures, Professor Fred E. Baumann explores the "perfect" societies that have been described by great thinkers throughout history. His analysis provides insight on the nature of utopias and their place in society.
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The Tiber and the Potomac
Rome, America, and Empires of Trust
by Thomas F. Madden
read by Thomas F. Madden
Part of the Modern Scholar series
Esteemed university professor and best-selling author Thomas F. Madden presents an intriguing series of lectures based on a fascinating premise: that the United States has more in common with the rising Roman Republic than with the declining Roman Empire. The Tiber and the Potomac explores the amazing parallels between history's two most unusual superpowers. Both nations built empires based on trust, skillfully making friends of enemies. During the course of these lectures, Madden not only reveals these often surprising similarities, but also extracts useful principles from history, including vital lessons from Rome's 100-year struggle with terrorism.
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The American Legal Experience
by Lawrence M. Friedman
read by Lawrence M. Friedman
Part of the Modern Scholar series
The legal system in America is the basis of freedom as we know it today. The system is based, ultimately, on the common law of England, but it has grown, developed, and changed over the years. American law has been a critical factor in American life since colonial times. It has played a role in shaping society, but society, the structure, culture, economy, and politics of the country, has decisively shaped the law. Throughout history, the legal system has been intimately involved with every major issue in American life: race relations, the economy, the family, crime, and issues of equality and justice. The true strength of the American legal system lies in its ability to adapt to new and difficult issues.
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Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
by Jennifer Tobin
read by Jennifer Tobin
Part of the Modern Scholar series
Esteemed professor Jennifer Tobin leads a compelling series of lectures on the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Examining the historical and social context of each wonder, Tobin answers such questions as, Why was it build? and What can it tell us about the people who built it? From the Great Pyramid at Giza to the Colossus of Rhodes and the Pharos of Alexandria, the course provides a 360-degree view of these enduring marvels of human achievement.
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Liberty and its Price
Understanding the French Revolution
by Donald Sutherland
read by Donald Sutherland
Part of the Modern Scholar series
Esteemed professor Donald M.G. Sutherland provides a riveting account of the French Revolution, explaining how its effects varied greatly according to regional economies, social structures, and religious affiliations. He examines how massive counterrevolutionary movements profoundly affected the course of the Revolution, leading to the failure of constitutional government and, ultimately, to an elitist dictatorship in the person of Napoleon Bonaparte that paved the way for many of the struggles of the nineteenth century.
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Upon This Rock
A History of the Papacy from Peter to John Paul II
by Thomas F. Madden
read by Thomas F. Madden, Henry Strozier
Part of the Modern Scholar series
In this compelling series of lectures, widely esteemed author and professor Thomas F. Madden illustrates how the papacy, the world's oldest institution, gave birth to the West. Since Jesus Christ instructed the foremost of his Apostles, Peter, that he would be the rock upon which Christ would build his church, the papacy has survived the rise and fall of empires while continuing to assert an undeniable influence on world events. The men who have served as pope are a fascinating collection of larger-than-life personages who have touched millions of lives, changed the course of history, and even launched crusades that have altered the balance of global politics. With a learned approach and incisive analysis, Professor Madden not only provides a history of the papacy, but sheds light on the personalities of the popes and the flavor of their pontificates; and at the same time, Madden demonstrates how the papacy has survived the tumultuous cauldron of history and offers a studied commentary on the future of this resilient institution.
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Darwin, Darwinism, and the Modern World
by Chandak Sengoopta
read by Richard Davidson
Part of the Modern Scholar series
The history of Western civilization can be divided neatly into pre-Darwinian and post-Darwinian periods. Darwin's 1859 treatise, On the Origin of Species, was not the first work to propose that organisms had descended from other, earlier organisms, and the mechanism of evolution it proposed remained controversial for years. Nevertheless, no biologist after 1859 could ignore Darwin's theories, and few areas of thought and culture remained immune to their influence. Darwinism was attacked, defended, debated, modified, ridiculed, championed, interpreted, and used not only by biologists but also by philosophers, priests, sociologists, warmongers, cartoonists, robber-barons, psychologists, novelists, and politicians of arious stripes. This course will introduce the major themes of Darwin's works and explore their diverse, often contradictory impacts on science and society from 1859 to the present.
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Empire of Gold
A History of the Byzantine Empire
by Thomas F. Madden
read by Thomas F. Madden
Part of the Modern Scholar series
In Empire of Gold: A History of the Byzantine Empire, esteemed university professor Thomas F. Madden offers a fascinating series of lectures on the history of the remarkable culture and state that developed out of the ancient Roman Empire, particularly its eastern portion, throughout the Middle Ages. The story here therefore begins at an ending, that of the Roman Empire, in the third century AD, and continues over the next one thousand years. This new culture arising from the old will have a dramatic impact on western European culture and on the culture of the Islamic East, and most especially on the culture and modern history of Greeks, Greek Orthodox, and Russians, who were all very much affected by the Byzantine Empire. With incisive commentary, Professor Madden leads a discussion covering Justinian's reconquest of the West, the great city of Constantinople, and the aftermath and influence of this extraordinary empire.
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Islam and the West
by Seyyed Hossein Nasr
read by Seyyed Hossein Nasr
Part of the Modern Scholar series
Islam and Christianity share both remarkable similarities and remarkable differences. In the grand scheme, both are relatively recent religions, with Christianity taking hold in Northern Europe at about the same time that Islam took hold in the Persian world (although Christianity appeared on the scene six centuries before Islam). Through the years, Islam and Christianity and the civilizations they created have influenced each other to greater and lesser extents in terms of arts, sciences, culture, and medicine. The Crusades produced the most violent confrontation of the two worlds, but it is also important to note the effect of Christian missionaries on Islam and that of Islamic science and literature on the West. In light of the threat of terrorism in the new world order of the twenty-first century, it is imperative that the West and the Islamic world improve their understanding of their respective cultures. This course is conceived to reveal the interaction of these two religions and civilizations throughout their histories, highlight their similarities and differences, and, finally, show that Muslims and Christians share much common ground, especially in terms of morality, life issues, and family.
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(14)
Understanding Movies: The Art and History of Films
Film History and Technique
by Raphael Shargel
read by Raphael Shargel
Part of the Modern Scholar series
Why does the cinema have the power to move the heart, stimulate the mind, and dazzle the imagination? The Story in Pictures covers the history and aesthetics of motion pictures from the United States and from around the world. Professor Raphael Shargel analyzes specific movies from each era in film history, including the films' importance, aspects of cinematic technique, and why each film is worthy of study.
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God Wills It!
Understanding the Crusades
by Thomas F. Madden
read by Thomas F. Madden
Part of the Modern Scholar series
For over 400 years, crusaders ("those signed by the cross"), out of Christian zeal, a declared love for their fellow man, and, in many cases, a simple desire for fortune, glory, and heavenly reward, marched to the Holy Land to battle both a real and perceived threat to their way of life and their religious beliefs. The story of the many crusades are filled with an unremitting passion to keep or return the home of Christianity to Christians. It is also filled with death, destruction, disorder, greed, avarice, and self-interest on all sides. Much of what occurred during the Crusades has come down to us today in the form of continued suspicion among religious ideologies-not only between Christians and Muslims, but also internally among Christian sects and, to some degree, among Muslim sects. There is certainly much to learn about our own history from a better understanding of the Crusades and what led so many to crusade.
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Classical Mythology
The Greeks
by Peter Meineck
read by Peter Meineck
Part of the Modern Scholar series
In Classical Mythology: The Greeks, widely published Professor Peter Meineck examines in thrilling detail the far-reaching influence of Greek myths on Western thought and literature. The nature of myth and its importance to ancient Greece in terms of storytelling, music, poetry, religion, cults, rituals, theatre, and literature are viewed through works ranging from Homer's Iliad and Odyssey to the writings of Sophocles and Aeschylus. Through the study of these time-honored myths, the Greek heroes and gods-including Heracles, Zeus, Achilles, Athena, Aphrodite, and others-leap from the page in all their glorious splendor. The following lectures are not only an entertaining guide to Greek mythology, but a fascinating look into the culture and time that produced these eternal tales.
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Rediscovering Shakespeare
The Tragedies
by Matthew Wagner
read by Hailey R. Carter
Part of the Modern Scholar series
A greater emphasis on situations than characters (this numbs the audience's connection to the characters, so that when characters experience misfortune, the audience still finds it laughable) A struggle of young lovers to overcome difficulty, often presented by elders Separation and re-unification Deception among characters (especially mistaken identity) A clever servant Disputes between characters, often within a family Multiple, intertwining plots Use of all styles of comedy (slapstick, puns, dry humour, earthy humour, witty banter, practical jokes) Pastoral element (courtly people living an idealized, rural life), originally an element of Pastoral Romance, exploited by Shakespeare for his comic plots and often parodied therein for humorous effects Happy Ending
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How to Think
The Liberal Arts and Their Enduring Value
by Michael D. C. Drout
read by Michael D. C. Drout, Jim Frangione
Part of the Modern Scholar series
In How to Think: The Liberal Arts and Their Enduring Value, Professor Michael D. C. Drout gives an impassioned defense and celebration of the value of the liberal arts. Charting the evolution of the liberal arts from their roots in the educational system of Ancient Rome through the Middle Ages and to the present day, Drout shows how the liberal arts have consistently been "the tools to rule", essential to the education of the leaders of society. Offering a reasoned defense of their continuing value, Drout also provides suggestions for improving the state of the liberal arts in contemporary society.
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(45)
A History of Ancient Greece
by Eric Cline
read by Eric H. Cline
Part of the Modern Scholar series
Professor Eric H. Cline - The George Washington University
In this intriguing series of lectures, prolific researcher, author, and professor Eric H. Cline delves into the history of ancient Greece, frequently considered to be the founding nation of democracy in Western civilization. The history of this remark- able civilization abounds with momentous events and cultural landmarks that resonate through the millennia. Professor Cline touches on the most compelling and informative aspects of Greek history and accomplishment, providing revealing insights along the way and lending a fresh perspective throughout this entertaining and evocative course.
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The American Presidency
From Theodore Roosevelt to Ronald Reagan
by Robert Dallek
read by Robert Dallek
Part of the Modern Scholar series
The 20th-century American Presidency is something of a mystery. Some Presidents performed exceptionally well in office, displaying strong leadership and winning the respect of the American people as well as the rest of the world. Others fell short of expectations and are remembered at best as marginal chief executives. What was it that allowed some to rise to greatness while others failed? What elusive mix of character traits, circumstance, and determination combine to mold the shape of a Presidential Administration? This course explores the tenures of the men who held our nation's highest office during the 20th-century. The lectures look at each President and examine their strengths and weaknesses as well as the times in which they served. Through this analysis listeners will develop a better understanding not only of this supreme office and how it has taken shape, but also how it has shaped America and, indeed, the modern world.
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Political Theory
The Classic Texts and Their Continuing Relevance
by Joshua Kaplan
read by Joshua Kaplan
Part of the Modern Scholar series
We all need some help in understanding the world, and that is the starting point for political theory itself. The great works of other times and places can speak to us today, wherever we are. Political theory does this better than other subjects, in part because the theorist wants us to look around and think about the specifics of the world around us, but also to lift our heads and see farther than we normally do. The theorists we will study in this course wanted very badly to reach their readers, to make them think about their world differently. They don't tell us what to think, but we don't see things in quite the same way after we read them. In fact, we do not read these books so much as we experience them. As you learn about Plato, Thucydides, and Hobbes, you may see connections between their times and our own. You may see how their insights apply to life today. I hope they will become companions that can help you to understand and explain the world in ways that sound bites on the nightly news cannot.
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Discovering the Philosopher in You
The Big Questions in Philosophy
by Colin McGinn
read by Colin McGinn
Part of the Modern Scholar series
Everyone has their own inner philosopher-a voice within that asks, oh so insistently, philosophical questions. Everyone wants to know what the ultimate nature of the world is, what the self is, whether we have free will, how our minds relate to our bodies, whether we can really know anything, where ethical truth comes from, what the meaning of life is, and whether or not there is a God. This inner philosopher is related to the inner child, since the child too is prone to asking philosophical questions. But it is much better to have a disciplined guide through philosophy than simply to try to do all the thinking by yourself. I will be acting as your guide. I will cover all the main problems of philosophy, from logic to ethics, from the human mind to God, introducing you to how philosophers think and the theories they have come up with. The first four lectures focus on foundational questions that need to be clarified before we engage upon more applied discussions. We need to know what knowledge is, what truth is, and what logical reasoning is before we start discussing ethics, the mind, free will and God. So let's start with the basics, then break into a run only when we have learned how to walk.
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Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
by Thomas F. Madden
read by Thomas F. Madden
Part of the Modern Scholar series
Even millennia after its fall, the grand expanse of Roman achievement continues to affect not only American society, but the entire world as well. What caused a civilization of such accomplishments to disintegrate? In this informative and lively series of lectures, renowned history professor Thomas F. Madden serves as the ultimate guide through the fall of ancient Rome. Professor Madden correlates the principles of Roman conduct-both governmental and military- that would forever change the world. Rome was an empire unlike the world had ever seen, and one that will likely never be duplicated. Peopled with personages of great distinction and even greater ambition, at once notable for humanity's great promise and flawed nature, the Roman Empire contributed many of history's proudest advancements. Here Professor Madden invites audiences to explore all the grandeur of this lost empire.
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The People and the Ballot
A History of American Party Politics
by Joshua Kaplan
read by Joshua Kaplan
Part of the Modern Scholar series
The study of political parties gets straight to the heart of American politics. The story of political parties is about how we get along with one another. Political parties grew outside the Constitution and the more formal framework of government. No one planned or even wanted them. Parties developed as a response to the dream of a unified government. While parties have taken the country to the brink of violence, and beyond, they have also been vehicles for avoiding violent conflict, and for channeling disagreements. This course provides an understanding of how American politics work and can help make sense of election results and political trends. By understanding political parties, we can better understand what is going on in American politics today and in which direction American politics may be going.
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(39)
The Philosophy of Thomas Aquinas
by Peter Kreeft
read by Peter Kreeft, Richard Poe
Part of the Modern Scholar series
An enthusiastic admirer of the philosophy of Thomas Aquinas, professor and philosopher Peter Kreeft details the rational thought and precise literary talent that established Aquinas as the foremost thinker of his time-and as the most important philosopher for the almost two thousand years between Aristotle and Descartes. A landmark of philosophical achievement, Aquinas's Summa Theological has given theologians and philosophers much to discuss since the thirteenth century. Peter Kreeft explains why.
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Rings, Swords, and Monsters: Exploring Fantasy Literature
by Michael D. C. Drout
read by Michael D. C. Drout
Part of the Modern Scholar series
The overwhelming success of the Lord of the Rings films and the Harry Potter series aptly demonstrates that the fantasy genre is alive and well in the new millennium. The names of authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Terry Brooks evoke ripe tales of heroism and the clash of good versus evil in magical, faraway lands. The rich collection of King Arthur tales have also captured the imagination of millions and resonates with audiences to the present day. Should fantasy be considered serious literature, or is it merely escapism? In this course, the roots of fantasy and the works that have defined the genre are examined. Incisive analysis and a deft assessment of what makes these works so very special provides a deeper insight into beloved works and a better understanding of why fantasy is such a pervasive force in modern culture.
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Astronomy I
Earth, Sky and Planets
by James Kaler
read by George Wilson
Part of the Modern Scholar series
Take a journey through fascinating outer worlds that lay beyond the earth's sphere.
We begin with a unifying overview of the Universe that provides a broad context into which we place the objects of our planetary system. The course then divides into four overlapping portions, exploring the Earth and the layout of the sky, examining the physical laws that control what we see, learning the natures of the celestial bodies, and examining the planets themselves to reveal how they are constructed. The final segment brings us back to the beginning and what it means to us as we look outward from Earth.
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A Way With Words II
Approaches to Literature
by Michael D. C. Drout
read by Michael D. C. Drout
Part of the Modern Scholar series
In A Way with Words: Writing, Rhetoric, and the Art of Persuasion, widely published professor Michael D.C. Drout embarked on a thought-provoking investigation into the role of rhetoric in our world. Now, in A Way with Words II: Approaches to Literature, the renowned literary scholar leads a series of lectures that focus on the big questions of literature. Is literature a kind of lie? Can fiction ever be "realistic"? Why do we read? What should we read? Professor Drout provides insight into these and other provocative questions, including those related to the role of the text, author, and audience in the reading process. Throughout, Professor Drout introduces the major schools of literary and critical thought and employs illuminating examples from the world's most important literary works. Literature contributes to our understanding of what it means to be human in a myriad of complex ways, and for all those who appreciate the role of literature in our lives, this course proves a wonderful exploration of one of humankind's most cherished pursuits.
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Masterpieces of Medieval Literature
by Timothy B. Shutt
read by George K. Wilson
Part of the Modern Scholar series
It is during the Middle Ages that modern Europe, indeed, modern Western culture as we know it, comes to be. Classical Mediterranean culture drew from the ancient Middle East, and more directly, from the Hebrews, Greeks, and Romans. The Middle Ages add the Northlands, Celts, and Germans, and ultimately, Slavs as well, to the mix. And the Middle Ages saw the birth of the immediate predecessors of our own ideas about love and marriage as important concerns in their own right, utterly central to a happy and fulfilling personal life. Beyond that, the Middle Ages saw the composition of some of the greatest and most rewarding literary works ever written, the works of Chaucer and Dante no doubt preeminent among them, but by no means are they alone in their surpassing merits. In this course, we will look at some of those other splendid works-Beowulf, the little-known, but utterly splendid Njal's Saga, and Sir Gawain the Green Knight among them.
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Behold the Mighty Dinosaur
by John Kricher
read by John Kricher
Part of the Modern Scholar series
Dinosaurs-the word means "fearfully great reptile"-have been a source of fascination ever since their discovery in England early in the nineteenth century. Aside from birds, all dinosaurs have been extinct for 65 million years, yet, before then, they dominated Earth's terrestrial habitats for about 160 million years, far longer than primates, or humans, have been around. Dinosaurs present the ultimate puzzle in forensic science, but we have learned a great deal about them, especially in the last fifty years. Our view of dinosaurs has changed radically, and the evolution and biology of dinosaurs has become a popular topic in college curriculums. This lecture series will explain how this changing view of dinosaurs developed, the evolutionary and ecological relationships among dinosaurs, what it might have been like to be present in the Mesozoic Era during the time of the dinosaurs, and the question of what ultimately brought about the total extinction of all of the non-bird dinosaurs and the end of the Cretaceous Period. Although extinct, dinosaurs have never been more a focus of science than they are today.
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Creating Humans
Ethical Questions Where Reproduction and Science Collide
by Alexander McCall Smith
read by Alexander McCall Smith
Part of the Modern Scholar series
In this course, we will discuss the various moral aspects of human reproduction from methods of conception to methods of ending a pregnancy. We will discuss the moral, cultural, legal, and political influences on reproduction as well as the scientific advances in reproductive technology.
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The Masters of Enterprise
by H. W. Brands
read by H. W. Brands
Part of the Modern Scholar series
Since the formation of the American Republic the principles of free enterprise and equal opportunity have been at the very core of economic philosophy. During the revolution, colonists fought not only for intangibles like "liberty" and "justice," but also for the promises of a free market that provided everyone with the opportunity to pursue economic advancement regardless of social position and unsubjugated to a crown. America quickly became a society in which an individual's success would be measured not by birthright, but rather by determination. In this atmosphere, men and women have sought fortune limited only by their own abilities, their willingness to work hard, and their courage in the face of unknown dangers. In this course, we'll examine the lives and careers of successful men and women who seized the opportunities offered by the vibrant and open economy that has ensued. We'll examine how each of these individuals found the necessary resources-both economic and personal-to achieve greatness in the business arena. In doing so, we hope not only to arrive at a better understanding of American business history in general, but also to commune with its greatest visionaries-its Masters of Enterprise.
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Hearing, Tasting, Touching
Understanding the World Through Our Senses
by Rolf Nelson
read by Rolf Nelson
Part of the Modern Scholar series
Our sensory systems give us a rich and detailed experience of the world. They are something that we are intimately familiar with - we use them every minute of our waking lives - yet surprisingly enough, we often take them for granted. It is true that we rely on our senses for knowing all about the external world, yet they are even more than that. Our senses are essential to who we are; they are part and parcel of every thought and emotion that we can express. Many are familiar with the commonly known senses - sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. But most do know realize that humans have other senses beyond these. This is not, however, a spooky " sixth sense" of extrasensory perception. But humans do have a different kind of sixth sense. We also have a seventh sense, and it can be debated that we have even more. These additional senses are in fact specialized systems to detect other aspects of the world that we rarely consider, though they are an important part of our everyday life. Throughout the animal kingdom, there are examples of organisms that have developed the ability to sense what is necessary in the ecological niche that they find themselves in. Bats, and independently, many marine mammals like dolphins, have developed the ability to use sound to navigate their environments. Bees, ants, and some fish see light far beyond what humans are capable of perceiving. Many aquatic animals can sense electrical currents. And an increasing number of animals are being added to the list of those who can take advantage of the earth' s magnetic fields to navigate over long distances. Although humans have a broad range of sensory experience, it really is just a tiny fraction of what is out there. This series intriguing series of lectures takes a wide survey of the world of the senses beyond vision, exploring how our senses and our brain enable us to hear, smell, touch, taste, balance, and otherwise perceive the world around us.
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Global Warming
Global Threat
by Michael McElroy
read by Michael McElroy
Part of the Modern Scholar series
What exactly is global warming? This authoritative course dispels the mystery and confusion surrounding this looming threat while tackling tough issues of accountability and responsibility.
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Crime Scene Investigation PT.2
by Robert C. Shaler
read by Robert C. Shaler
Part of the Modern Scholar series
Profesor Robert C. Shaler continues his in-depth look at all aspects of crime scene investigation in part two. Popularized in the media by highly rated police procedurals, crime scene invesigation is an often misunderstood field of eneavor. Shaler breaks down the intricacies of how investigations are conducted in the real world, examining such aspects as bloodstain analysis, shooting scenes, and "forensic bugs."