TOPICS  OFFERED  FOR  FALL  2007

 

 

Please note that the books listed for each course are only possible candidates. 
Do not buy any until the pre-meeting and a decision on the common reading is made.

 

 

 

1.     (AYN)    AYN RAND AND OBJECTIVISM

Ayn Rand developed a distinct philosophical system, which she presented to the general public primarily within novels, including “The Fountainhead” and Atlas Shrugged”. (This is the 50th anniversary of the publication of “Atlas Shrugged.”) This philosophy captured the imagination of many around the world, in contrast to the gray world of collectivism then reigning, and is experiencing renewed interest, now that the shock of her provocative use of words has worn off and the sometimes abrasive personalities of early adherents have mellowed.

This S/DG will examine Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism and review its three axioms and their consequences.  The S/DG is intended to serve the interests of both newcomers to this philosophy as well as extend the studies of the S/DG held in 2007 Summer.

Common Reading:     The Ayn Rand Reader, edited by Gary Hull and Leonard Peikoff, (1999) and

Augmented by:             Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand, by Leonard Peikoff     (Dec. 1993), which was used in the 2007 Summer S/DG

1st & 3rd Wednesday, p.m. - Room 8

 

 


 

2.         (CAI)      CALIFORNIA  IMPRESSIONISTS

Nearly everyone knows the art of the French Impressionists; not so of California.  The work of late 19th and 20th century California impressionists is characterized by colorful, light-filled canvases, memorializing the beauty of California’s landscape and coastline.  Well-known artists such as Childe Hassam, William Meritt Chase, George Bellows, and George Innes came here to paint.

We are fortunate to live near the Irvine Museum which has permanent as well as traveling exhibits of the finest collection of Southern California impressionists, including Payne, Bishoff, Rose, Wendt, Redmond, Brown and Wachtel.

Meetings could focus on an overview of various periods or individual artists, with possible guest artists and field trips to the Irvine Museum and Laguna Beach and/or the Los Angeles Art Museum.

Common Reading:     California Impressionists, by Susan Landauer (Un. of California)

1st & 3rd Friday, p.m. - Room 7

 

 


 

3.     (DBT)    I  DOUBT,  THEREFORE  I  AM:  AN  HISTORICAL  SURVEY  OF

                         SKEPTICISM  IN  THE  U.S. 

From the Latin "dubitare--to waver in one's opinion."  It can include: hesitancy or indecision about accepting the truth or falsity of something; considering an idea to be questionable or questioning its veracity; or an inclination not to believe the truth or falsity of an assertion.  A main point in this is that Skepticism about something can include its falsity as well as its truth.  One may doubt Atheism & Agnosticism as well as Theism.  To understand (and appreciate) Skepticism in America we must start with its roots in Greek Philosophy 27 centuries ago, trace & experience it's development with Ancient Romans & early Christians, then see it take hold of philosophy from Descartes through Kant.  Then we will be ready to study Americans who considered themselves to be "Free-Thinkers."  Pragmatism--the only really home-grown American Philosophy, promotes a way of thought based upon Philosophic Doubt.  When studying any “Doubter” we must also determine to what extent he is a "Believer."

Common Reading:     Doubt: A History: The Great Doubters and Their Legacy of Innovation from Socrates and Jesus to Thomas Jefferson and Emily Dickinson, by Jennifer Michael Hecht (paperback, Sept 2004, ISBN: 0-06-009795-7 - 551 pgs.)

1st & 3rd Thursday, p.m. - Room 7 

 


 

4.     (FYN)     FEYNMAN  ON  PHYSICAL  LAW

His goal was to convey the essence of Physics to ordinary People. The lectures were enormously successful in explaining the hierarchy of physical laws. In these Messenger Lectures, originally delivered at Cornell University and recorded for television by the BBC, Richard Feynman offers an overview of selected physical laws and gathers their common features into one broad principle of invariance. He maintains at the outset that the importance of a physical law is not "how clever we are to have found it out, but . . . how clever nature is to pay attention to it," and tends his discussions toward a final exposition of the elegance and simplicity of all scientific laws. The Character of Physical Law is a statement of what is most remarkable in nature. Feynman's enlightened approach, his wit, and his enthusiasm make this a memorable exposition of the scientist's craft.

Topics for presentations might come from any of the dozens of books by, and about, Feynman. Examples might be from "Six Easy Pieces" or "Six Not So Easy Pieces" as well as his other famous lectures. The nearly endless stories about his life and what made him a genius are accessible to everyone.

Common Reading:     The Character of Physical Law, by Richard Feynman (192 pages)

FY1:    2 & 4 Monday, p.m. - Room 7

FY2:    1 & 3 Wednesday, p.m. - Room 7

 

 

 

5.     (HUM)   EVOLUTION  OF  HUMAN  SOCIETIES

What makes one group of people “civilize” so differently from another?  Why did some groups develop many material things, such as steel, matches, umbrellas, while others avoided this type of “cargo?”  Why did the people of Southwest Asia domesticate animals, invent the wheel, design high productivity agriculture and establish bureaucracy thousands of years before the British, only a few thousand miles away?  Why did Christendom enthusiastically adopt the wheel, key to most machinery, while Islamic societies did not?

This study/discussion group will help us understand the way in which the modern world, and its inequalities, came to be. We will study the geographical and environmental factors that shaped the modern world; how societies that had a head start in food production advanced beyond the hunter-gatherer stage; and how they developed writing, technology, government and organized religion – as well as germs and weapons – that allowed them to decimate preliterate cultures. 

Common Reading:  Guns, Germs, and Steel, by Jared Diamond

HU1:   1 & 3 Monday, p.m. - Room 7

HU2:   2 & 4 Wednesday, a.m. - Room 7

 

 

 

 

 

6.     (LNG)    LINGUISTICS  101:  THE  LANGUAGE  INSTINCT

Most of us naturally have an interest in language.  Linguistics teaches us how and where language started; why there are so many languages; why languages are so hard to learn; and how language interacts with our history and culture.  Our text, The Language Instinct by Steven Pinker, covers all this in an engaging and highly readable text.  Members of the study/discussion group will lead discussions of the chapters in chronological order and give a brief presentation based on outside research which relates to the chapters under discussion.

Common Reading:     The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language,

by Steven Pinker (430 pp)

1st & 3rd Monday, p.m. – Room 8

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.     (LOV)    NOTHING  BUT  YOU,  LOVE  STORIES  FROM  THE  NEW  YORKER   

You’ll be touched, charmed, moved, amused and bemused, intellectually engaged, and emotionally charged by these disparate tales of desparate loves, earthy lusts, ethereal longings, and unsettled lives.  Noteworthy for its range and its excellence, this anthology features a stunning array of present and past masters writing about love in all its varieties.  Taken separately, these stories suggest the infinite variety of the human heart and taken together, they are a literary milestone.

Assembled by Roger Angell, Senior Editor of The New Yorker, this edition features stories by Raymond Carver, Alice Monro, John Updike, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Mavis Gallant, John O’Hara, Muriel Spark, John Cheever, Alice Adams, Vladimir Nobokov, Isaac Bashevis Singer, R. Prawer Jhbvala, Donald Barthelme and others.

Common Reading:      Nothing But You, Love Stories from The New Yorker,
                                    edited by Roger Angell (Amazon: May 1998, paperback)

LO1:   2 & 4 Thursday, a.m. - Room 8

LO2:   2 & 4 Wednesday, p.m. - Room 7

 


 

8.     (OPN)    MANIPULATION  OF  PUBLIC  OPINION

How does the Mass Media influence our opinions?  What are the effects of the various media mergers that leave us with Rupert Murdoch (Currently trying to buy the Wall Street Journal), General Electric, Disney, Viacom, Time Warner, and Clear Channel's massive radio empire supplying us with the bulk of our news and culture.  Our text will visit this problem and suggested presentation topics could be: "Why is talk radio so conservative?", "Is there real separation between news coverage and opinion in our major newspapers?", "How is the internet reshaping public opinion?"  How will the internet affect the availability of quality newspapers?", "Is there an apparent conflict of interest between politicians and the media?"  The questions go on and on.

Common Reading:     News Incorporated, Corporate Media Ownership and its threat to Democracy, by Elliot D. Cohen (February 2005, 312 pages)

1st & 3rd Tuesday, p.m. - Room 8

 

 

 

 

 

9.      (POE)     FAVORITE  POEMS

While serving as Poet Laureate of the U.S., Robert Pinksky undertook an  Americans' favorite poem project.  Out of the thousands of suggestions he received, he compiled an anthology of 200 poems along with the comments of the Americans who selected them. The poets included range from Chaucer to Mary Oliver, a popular modern day poet. This course will provide participants with a wide variety of poems to read, analyze and discuss.  Since the poems were chosen by passionate readers rather than professional critics, there is something for everyone-those who love poetry and want to  share their love and those who haven't read a poem in years . Participants could choose their favorite poem or poems from the anthology, do research about the poet, and present the poems to generate lively discussion.

Common Reading:     Americans' Favorite Poems, by Robert Pinksy, Editor: The Favorite Poem Project, & Maggie Dietz (November 1999)

2nd & 4th Tuesday, p.m. – Room 7

 

 


 

10.    (SLT)     SCIENCE  IN  LITERATURE

When top scientists and outstanding science writers combine to explore provocative ideas, it makes for exciting reading and discussion.  Brian Green’s recent anthology of essays and articles has been collected from a wide range of sources.  These articles lay out the facts about topics like lupus and the nature of mass with clarity.  Other pieces that have a more personal touch include how blogging technology has radically changed the way U.S. soldiers fighting in Iraq communicate with friends, family and even total strangers or how environmentalist zeal threatens to disrupt indigenous communities.  Other writers focus on the compelling stories of individual scientists, from Drake Bennett's profile of "the godfather of Ecstasy" to Oliver Sacks's memories of his lively correspondence with Francis Crick, the co-discoverer of DNA. From X-rays to Mummies there is a wide choice of reading.

As the editor. Brian Greene wrote, “Science needs to be recognized for what it is: the ultimate adventure stories”

Common Reading:     Best Science and Nature Writing of 2006, by Brian Greene & Tim Folger

2nd & 4th Friday, a.m. – Room 7

 

 

 

 

11.   (SMR)   SUMER – THE  FIRST  CIVILIZATION?

Which civilization had the first system of law?  The first formal educational system?  The first tax cut?  The first love song?  Which civilization used “supply-side” economics in the 24th century B.C.E.?  The answers were found in the excavations of ancient Sumer, a society so developed, so resourceful, so enterprising that it, in a sense, created history.  The Sumerians, the pragmatic and gifted people who preceded the Semites in the land first known as Sumer and later as Babylonia, created in the “land between the rivers” what was probably the first high civilization in this history of man, spanning the fifth to the second millenniums B.C.E.  In this SDG we will learn of this civilization, its  cities, religion, literature, education, scientific achievements, social structure, and psychology.  Finally, we will consider the legacy of Sumer to the ancient and modern world.   Possible subjects for research/presentations include: cuneiform writing, art, commerce, govern-ment, social reforms, law codes, medicine, agriculture, philosophy, ethics, literature, Biblical parallels, Gilgamesh, etc.  For additional subjects, see History Begins at Sumer: Thirty-Nine Firsts in Man’s Recorded History, by Samuel Noah Kramer.  Our goal is to learn of the civilization of Sumer and its rich legacy to the ancient and modern world.

Common Reading:     The Sumerians, Their History, Culture and Character,

                                          by Samuel Noah Kramer (372 pp.)

2nd & 4th Friday, p.m. – Room 7

 

 


 

12.    (SSP)      SHAKESPEARE:   ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE …

But in our brave new world, the stage is at the Franklin Center.  Again this fall we will form a repertory troupe of Omnilorean New Globe Players to read, study, and discuss three of the Bard’s great plays.  Each class member will join the Board of Directors of one play -- responsible for researching sources and themes of the play, casting roles for the repertory, and leading discussions on the research, symbols, images, motifs, and all manner of rhyme and reason.  ‘Tis fair play to enhance classes with videos, music and costumes, and to bring your own questions and even beyond-the-plays topics from the Shakespearean era for discussion. 

The plan is to read one each of the Bard’s history, comedy, and tragedy plays.  Henry IV (Part 2), The Tempest, and Julius Caesar are proposed for this S/DG – subject to agreement at one fell swoop in the pre-meeting.  

With plenty for the novice as well as the veteran, it is a foregone conclusion members will leave this class with a fuller understanding of the masterful story construction, realistic characters with depth and humanity, and the rich, evocative language which have earned Shakespeare the title of greatest writer in the English language.

2nd & 4th Thursday, p.m. – Room 8

 

 

 

 

 

13.    (SWD)    MIGHTIER  THAN  THE  SWORD    WRITING  THAT  BROUGHT        

                                 ABOUT  SOCIAL  CHANGE

         Is the right word so mighty that in the hands of a motivated individual it can bring about significant changes in the world we live in?  The answer is Yes!  Check out our history.  We find it over and over again.  See how many movements were initiated through the writing of a document, e.g., Mein Kampf, the Bill of Rights, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Darwin’s Origin of the Species, the Old Testament, the New Testament and the Koran.  Each of these documents inspired many motivated followers.  The motivation continues, for better or worse.  Our goal is to deepen our appreciation of how an idea can inspire  one or more people to author a document, whose expression has affected the development of the world.

         Presentations will include biographies of the authors of these world changing documents with emphasis on their motivations for writing them and the events that kindled these motivations.  Also to be addressed would be how their documents obtained such notoriety."

         No Common Reading.

1st & 3rd Thursday, a.m. - Room 7

 


 

14.    (SYM)   ANATOMY  OF  THE  SYMPHONY

A study of what a makes symphony orchestra, who are the greatest of the composers, why is a symphony orchestra special, and more.

The varied colors of an orchestra are achieved through the subtle blending of a variety of instruments: strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion with the addition of a piano, an organ and other instruments for special aural textures. Our study will consider the instruments themselves and the structure of the orchestra as well as the artistry of those talented players and conductors who produce the musical effects needed to perform

We will also study the many roles of the symphony orchestra. An orchestra may perform alone, or it may accompany one or more instrumental or vocal soloists or a chorus. Orchestras also accompany ballets and operas and provide background music for motion pictures and television productions.

Common Reading:      The Orchestra: A Collection of 23 Essays on Its Origins and Transformations, edited by Joan Peyser (Dec. 2006)

1st & 3rd Thursday, a.m. - Room 8

 

 

 

 

15.    (THK)    CRITICAL  THINKING  OR  SELF-DECEPTION?

The mind seeks patterns and causal relationships.  It generalizes to fill in gaps in knowledge and produces useful ways of dealing with the world.  This mechanism allows us to get on with life without wasting time and energy pursuing unimportant details, but it also opens the door to fallacious thinking.  It led most scientists to reject acupuncture without testing because of the mysticism that surrounded it.  It allows about half of adult Americans to believe in astrology and extrasensory perception, and two-thirds to believe they have had a psychic experience.  Using the common reading as a method, this group will study the process of critical thinking and the techniques for keeping our thinking on track.  Member research and presentations will present examples of commonly held misbeliefs and use the process to consider the truth or fallacy in thinking.  Our goal is to create an improvement in critical thinking skills.

Common Reading:     Critical Thinking: Building the Basics, by Timothy Walter, Glenn M. Knudsvig, & Donald Smith (ISBN: 0534599761, 120 pp)

2nd & 4th Monday, a.m. – Room 7

 


 

16.    (TRR)    TERRORIST  ORGANIZATIONS

Terrorism is the performance of seemingly random attacks on innocents for political ends. People in power have used terrorist organizations to maintain the status quo while those with little power have used terrorist organizations to overthrow exiting regimes. (Some hold that one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter.) History is replete with examples, from the years of persecution of Christians in Rome by the emperor Nero, the Committee of Public Safety and Maximilien Robespierre during the French revolution, to current terrorist organizations such as Hamas and al-Qaeda. Today, newspapers, television and magazine articles are crammed with stories of terrorism going on in our world, the Middle East, in Africa, in Europe, and especially in the U.S.

This S/DG will attempt to get a broad overview of the numerous terrorist organizations in history and that surround us today, and their implications for our future. Each participant in the S/DG will select a terrorist organization for deeper study and presentation (list of organizations to be supplied). In addition, a common reading covering current terrorist problems will be read and discussed.

Common Reading:     Inside Terrorism, by Bruce Hoffman (Columbia University Press, Revised & Expanded Edition, 2006)

2nd & 4th Thursday, p.m. – Room 7

 

 

 

 

17.    (VKG)    THE  VIKING  AGE

The word "Viking" conjures up for us images of the fierce Scandinavian seafarers who raided the coasts of Britain and Europe for 300 years, from the 8th to the 11th century.  But the Vikings were more than looters -- they were skilled sailors and navigators, ingenious shipbuilders, traders and explorers who took their vessels deep into Europe's river systems, reaching as far as Greece, Russia and Byzantium.  This S/DG will examine the life and culture of the Viking Age, and ways in which the Vikings affected other societies.  Topics for presentation could include: Viking ships (some of which are preserved in museums in Denmark and Norway); explorations and trading routes; Viking religion and Norse mythology; Viking laws and customs; the role of women in the Viking Age; and (for the adventurous presenter) did the Vikings really discover America?

Common Reading:       World of the Vikings, by Richard Hall (2007)

1st & 3rd Thursday, p.m. - Room 8

 

 


 

18.    (WDR)   WOMEN  WHO  DARED

Few women have stepped upon the world stage to make indelible achievements in an exclusively male domain.  We will be studying women who transcended traditional roles to achieve immortality.  This class will explore the motivating forces that impelled these leaders and revolutionaries to pursue impossible dreams.  Two of these women were murdered in pursuit of their goals, while none escaped unscathed.

Course Topic Outline: Each of us will examine the life and times of one of these women.

Overarching question for discussion:  What role (if any) did gender play in the career of these groundbreakers?

Some candidates for presentation are: Joan of Arc, Amelia Earhart, Elizabeth I, Emily Bronte, Margaret Mead, Rachel Carson, Martha Graham, Sandra Day O’Connor, Boudicca, Indira Gandhi, Lise Meitner, Cleopatra, Golda Meir, Oprah Winfrey, Lillian Hellman, Marie Curie, Georgia O’Keeffe, Gabrielle Coco Chanel,, Simone de Beauvoir, Elizabeth Blackwell, Maria Montessori, Dame Agatha Christie, Estee Lauder, and Leni Riefenstahl.

No Common Reading.

2nd & 4th Monday, a.m. – Room 8

 

 

 

 

19.        (WRI)   THE  WRITING  MIND

This S/DG concentrates on fostering creativity and improving techniques of the writer through the production of original pieces of writing, literary critique and presentations by each group member.  Presentations are on literary topics or on the philosophy, subtleties or techniques of writing.  Each member will be responsible for; a presentation, at least two submissions of original fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or other form of writing, and for reading and critiquing submissions from other group members.

Common Reading:     None Suggested

2nd & 4th Wednesday, p.m. – Room 8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

            (CSU)     LECTURE  SERIES  UNDER  THE  AUSPICES  OF  CSUDH  &  OSHER

                           Comedy: An Interdisciplinary Approach”

 

Lecture Course at Redondo Beach Library – 1st & 3rd Wednesdays – 10:30 a.m.

September 19—October 3 & 17—November 7 & 21—December 5

John & Lynn Taber are responsible for this course and have to be notified if you are planning to attend.  They need to be able to give the college an accurate estimate of attendees, and will be in a position to pass on any changes or other information you may need to know.  Check the Omnilore Roster to see how John or Lynn can be reached.