TOPICS  OFFERED  FOR  SUMMER  2007

 

 

Please note that the books listed for each course are only possible candidates. 
Do not buy any until the coordinators advise you what they will use as a common reading, if any.

 

 

 

 

 

1.     (AFR)  AFRICA: THE PAST 50 YEARS

As Europe’s colonial powers withdrew from Africa, dozens of states were renamed and launched—beginning with Ghana in 1957—while the world looked on in encouragement.  Africa is rich in gold, diamonds, oil, and other natural resources, yet it is a continent mired in squalor, misery, deprivation, and chaos.  We will examine what went wrong and discuss solutions.  Through discussion and class reports we will compare and contrast  African states that are politically unstable or lack a central government with the states that appear to be succeeding.  We will look at agriculture, manufacturing, education, health care, telecommunication, and infrastructure, as well as dictatorships and wars.

Common Reading:     The Fate of Africa: A History of 50 Years of Independence

by Martin Meredith, (Public Affairs, 2005; paperback)

2nd & 4th Thursday, a.m. – Room 8

 

 

 

 

2.         (AGE)  WHY AND HOW WE AGE: A BIOLOGICAL VIEW

Why do we age?  Is aging inevitable?  Will medical advances allow us to extend the human lifespan?  These questions often enter our discussions.  This Study/Discussion Group will use the book, A Means to an End: The Biological Basis of Aging and Death by noted cell biologist, William R. Clark, to examine the process of aging from a new and important perspective, that of cell and molecular biology and the underlying discipline of genetics.  The author will take us from the simple to the complex, from single-celled organisms to human beings.  Topics for supporting members’ research could include: strategies for extending average human life by caloric restriction, the use of antioxidants, social and economic aspects of living longer, gene therapy.  We will be dealing with complex concepts of cell and molecular biology that are written for the science-oriented lay person to understand.  We will conclude with a discussion of the tensions likely to arise between length of life and the ramifications inherent in an aging population.  The goal of this study group will be to gain an understanding of why and how we age by studying the aging process of our cells.

Common Reading:     A Means to an End: The Biological Basis of Aging and Death, by William R. Clark (252 pages; ISBN: 0195153758, Oxford Press, 2004.  paperback)

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

 

 


 

 

3.     (AIN)  ANTI-INTELLECTUALISM IN THE UNITED STATES

This course will examine the recurring phenomenon of anti-intellectualism in American culture.  We will read and discuss Richard Hofstader's Pulitzer Prize winning book, Anti-Intellectualism in American Life, to understand the roots of this phenomenon.  Hofstadter defines anti-intellectualism “as a resentment and suspicion of a life of the mind.”  It is a complex set of ideas and attitudes which minimizes reason and critical thinking and which has affected American politics through a variety of movements, some of which have roots in religious evangelicalism and others which have an egalitarian belief that the common man is as good and as worthy of holding political office as the educated intellectual. 

Some possible topics for presentations are: 

  Ideals of the Founding Fathers on religion and their influence on constitution

  Jacksonian Democracy: egalitarianism and anti-intellectualism.

  The Second Great Awakening and the spread of Evangelicalism

  Abolitionist movement and Social Gospel Reform movement of 1890-1910

  Scopes trial:  influence of evangelicalism on education, science vs Bible

  Anti-intellectualism in McCarthyism and Stevenson campaign

  The Sixties and its after-effects:  religious, anti-intellectual, egalitarian?

  Civil Rights Movement and its religious roots

  Growth of Religious Right and its effect on politics, especially in the South

  Influence of religion since 1980s on American medicine, science, FDA

  Anti-intellectualism in education:  the self-esteem movement, curriculum, etc.

  Role of religion and anti-intellectualism in recent political campaigns

Common Reading:     Anti-Intellectualism in American Life, by Richard Hofstader (464 pp)

2nd & 4th Wednesday, a.m. – Room 7

 

 

 

 

4.         (AYN)  AYN RAND AND OBJECTIVISM

“At a sales conference preceding the publication of Atlas Shrugged one of the book salesmen asked me whether I could present the essence of my philosophy while standing on one foot. I did as follows: 1. Metaphysics: Objective Reality 2. Epistemology: Reason 3. Ethics: Self-interest 4. Politics: Capitalism.”

We will examine Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism and address its three axioms and their interrelation.  Existence is the first axiom, Consciousness is the second, and Knowledge is the third.  Her philosophic viewpoint derives from Aristotle, and we will contrast it to some other views belonging to Platonism, Christianity, and German idealism. Rand authored or co-authored dozens of books, plays, essays, and short stories. These, the voluminous writings about her, and the Ayn Rand Institute will provide many topics for presentation. Is her philosophy outdated and/or an antidote to the present state of the world?

Common Reading:     Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand, by Leonard Peikoff  (Dec. 1993)

2nd & 4th Wednesday, p.m. – Room 7

 

 

 

 

5.         (BSS)  BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES - 2006 

According to author Barbara Kingsolver, "A good short story cannot simply be Lit Lite; it is the successful execution of large truths delivered in tight spaces."  Not only do these words capture the essence of the short story, but possibly touch on why Omnilore members enjoy discussing and analyzing them.  The proposed common reading features twenty short stories selected by the editors from hundreds of stories published in various literary reviews and magazines during the previous year.  Our aim is through lively, informed group discussion to explore new insights into a diverse group of stories and authors.  At each session, participants will present research on selected authors, and their use of the short story form, as well as lead an in-depth discussion of the works.

         Common Reading:     The Best American Short Stories - 2006, by Ann Patchett and Katrina Kenison (October 2006)

BS1:    1st & 3rd Friday, p.m. - Room 7

BS2:    2nd & 4th Tuesday, p.m. - Room 8

 

 

 

 

6.     (CFS)  CONTINUED FINANCIAL SUCCESS

This class is independent of the prior semester.  You need not have taken the prior class for your wealth to benefit from this one. Managing money has a scientific basis. It has little to do with stock picking and a lot to do with understanding economies, diversification, asset classes, etc.  Modern Portfolio Theory fundamentals are accessible to any interested person and will have a positive influence on your wealth and risk profile.  We'll split our time between the core text and member researched presentations. Presentation topics might include.  Diversification and its affect on risk and reward, Sources of good financial information (including the Internet), Financial vocabulary, Bonds vs. bond funds, Yield curve analysis, Exchange rates and the effect on foreign investment, Hedging away risk, Derivatives - what are they and what are they good for, Investment ideas from Nobel Laureates, Computer modeling (Monte Carlo simulation and withdrawal rates), Risk reduction - knowing yourself and what it takes to sleep well, Rebalancing and market timing, Kinds of mutual funds, Taxes and after tax yields, etc., etc.  The goal is better understanding of managing your net worth through a diversified portfolio.

Common Reading:     The Four Pillars of Investing: Lessons for Building a Winning Portfolio, by William J. Bernstein (240 pages; hardcover)

2nd & 4th Wednesday, p.m. – Room 8

 

 


 

7.     (CHN)  CHINA: THE RISE OF THE NEXT SUPERPOWER

The course will provide an overview of the past two thousand years in China, providing a focus on how the old empires continue to affect China’s domestic and international policies today. The second half of the course will take a more extensive look at China at the present time as it continues on course to become the country with the largest economy in the world within the next 30 years and how that might affect America and the world. Presentations will be expected. .

Common Reading:     China: The Balance Sheet, by C. Fred Bergsten, et al. (Public Affairs, March 2007)

2nd & 4th Monday, p.m. – Room 7

 

 

 

8.     (DEC)  GREAT DECISIONS - 2007

Each year the Foreign Policy Association publishes a book of eight issues in foreign policy.  Each Great Decisions topic includes: historical background, description of current U.S. policy and alternative policy options, informative maps and detailed graphs, as well as opinion ballots for readers to express their views.  This S/DG has always inspired lively discussions. 

The topics for 2007 are: the Middle East, Climate Change, Mexico, Migration, South Africa, War Crimes, Central Asia and Children.

Common Reading: Foreign Policy 2007   (About $14 if ordered in Bulk.)

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

 

 


 

9.         (GKN)  GENGHIS KHAN REVISITED

Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World is a revisionist history by Jack Weatherford, Professor of Anthropology at Macalester College, who traveled to places unseen by Westerners since the Khan's death.  In just 25 years the Mongols conquered more lands and people than the Romans had in over 400 years.  Weatherford analyzes the rout of imperial China, the siege of Baghdad and the razing of numerous European castles, but also credits the Mongols for seeking not merely to conquer the world but to impose a global order based on free trade, a single international law and a universal alphabet.  To vast conquered territories they brought carpets, noodles, tea, playing cards, lemons, carrots, fabrics and even a few words such as the cheer-hurray.  (Oh, yes, catapults and flame throwers too.)  Weatherford's lively analysis significantly restores the Mongols' reputation and takes some wonderful learned detours such as the so-called  Secret History of the Mongols which the Nazis translated in the hope that it would help them conquer Russia. 

Common Reading:     Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World, by Jack Weatherford  (352 pages)

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

 

 

 

 

10.    (HUD)  THE MAJESTIC HUDSON

This class covers the majestic Hudson River and its historic and beautiful valley.  The Hudson valley was settled thousands of years before Christ.  We will cover the many people, places and events that made history in this area including but not limited to the following: 

Iroquois and Algonquin

Henry Hudson and the Dutch

The British in New “York”

The Huguenots in New Paltz

The Revolution and West Point

Fulton’s steamboat and the Erie Canal

Artists Cole, Church and Durant

Writers Washington Irving and Edna St. V. Millay

Tycoons Gould, Rockefeller and Vanderbilt

Presidents Roosevelt and Van Buren

Polluters GE and Con Edison versus the environmentalists

Baseball Greats in Cooperstown

If there is sufficient interest Omniloreans will take a bus/boat trip in the Hudson Valley October 8-12, 2007.  See Announcement in the Information area of the Omnilore Website.

            No Common Reading.

2nd & 4th Thursday, p.m. – Room 8

 

 


 

 

11.    (IRN)  UNDERSTANDING IRAN

Iran, one of George Bush’s three countries forming the axis of evil has become the most powerful country in the Middle East other than Israel.  Understanding it and particularly the struggles within Islam and the profound cultural differences between Persians and Arabs will be of great help in getting a better grasp on much of the geopolitical, religious, economic and cultural controversies that surround the Middle East today.  Presentation topics could include Iran’s economic system, recent history, ancient Persian history, Shiite Islamic law, current political system, Persian art and literature, women’s rights, human rights, technology, nuclear energy generation, oil supplies and policies, and biographies of Khomenei, Khamenei, Khatami, or Ahmadinejad.

Common Reading:     Hidden Iran, Paradox and Power in the Islamic Republic, by Ray Takeyh  (Times Books, 2006, 272 pages, $25.00)

Supplemental Reading:     Iran: the Coming Crisis Radical Islam, Oil, and the Nuclear Threat, by Mark Hitchcock (June 2006, $11.19 from Amazon)

The Shia Revival, by Vali Nasr (W.W. Norton, 2006)

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

 

 

 

 

12.    (MSP)  ANDALUSIA: MUSLIMS, JEWS, AND CHRISTIANS IN MEDIEVAL SPAIN

         From the eighth to the fifteenth century, a world distinguished by its depth of religious tolerance and cultural symbiosis developed in the Iberian peninsula.  How did this essentially Middle Eastern society manage, in spite of its differences, to advance scholarship and scientific knowledge beyond anything imagined in the western world?  We will consider both the historical background and the rich variety of the Andalusian culture.

Common Reading:     The Ornament of the World: How Muslims, Jews and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain, by Maria Rosa Menocal  (Back Bay Books, 2002 )

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

 

 


 

13.    (MZT) WHAT TO LISTEN FOR IN MOZART

This S/DG will study the life of the composer and the development of his musical style from his beginnings as a child prodigy through his coming of age. We will examine his achievements within the aristocratic society of the late 1700's, a society on the brink of revolution.  Mozart remains one of the most intriguing figures in history of classical music with an adventurous life that is reflected in his innovative works.

Common Reading:  What to Listen For in Mozart, by Robert Harris (paperback, June 2002)

2nd & 4th Monday, p.m. - Room 8

 

 

                                                                   

 

14.    (PHL)  PHILOSOPHY AND  ITS IMPACT ON OUR LIVES

A survey class covering the big questions that are relevant to our lives. Both philosophical and theological positions are fair game in covering important ideas. The basic six of; Truth, Goodness, Beauty, Liberty, Equality, and Justice are covered in the core text. Each participant will choose an additional topic for presentation and discussion. Examples of additional topics are; Ethics, Good and Evil, Happiness, Wealth, Citizenry, Education, Experience, Family, Love, Wisdom, etc. Classes will include both a discussion of the core text and presentation/discussion of the additional topics. These topics, and how we view them, represent the worldview that we bring to our experiences in life.

Common Reading:     Six Great Ideas, by Mortimer Adler (paperback; 243 pages)

 

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

 

 

 

 

15.    (SSP)  2007 SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL – An S/DG with Travel

This course will discuss some of the following plays offered by the Summer 2007 Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City, Utah:  Twelfth Night, Candida, Coriolanus, Lend Me a Tenor, King Lear, and The Matchmaker.   An Ominilore trip to the festival is scheduled from July 22 – July 27, 2007.  Call Marilyn Landau for details.  The class discussions will cover the reading of the plays as the class chooses and those who attend the Festival can share discussions of the productions.  Comparisons will be made to the differences in reading a play and seeing it performed. 

Omniloreans may participate in the class without joining the trip.  Check the Omnilore Website for more information and announcements.

Common Reading:  TBD

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

 

 

 

16.    (WNE)  APPRECIATING THE FRUIT OF THE VINE

This study/discussion group is designed for those with the “thirst” in learning about wine.  Taking a widely used textbook for Universities as their guide, participants will take an in-depth, academic look at wine, from sensory evaluation to the science of viticulture and winemaking.  The book is robust, with chapters including study guides, references and bibliography.  Topics for additional members’ research and presentation could be: wine and nutrition, history of viticulture, wine and fetal health, the vineyard ecosystem, enemies of the vineyard, decoding the wine label, the economics of winemaking, the subtleties of wine tasting.  At the end, members may not be connoisseurs but they will have a comprehensive knowledge of all types of wine.  Any tastings the group may choose to conduct will take place outside of the Franklin Center.

Common Reading:     The University Wine Course, by Marian W. Baldy, Ph.D,

[ISBN: 0932664695]

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

 

 


 

17.        (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

WRI:  2nd & 4th Tuesday, p.m. – Room 7

 

 

 

 

 

18.    (SHP)  SHAPERS OF OUR MODERN WORLD

A Lecture Course on Tape by Dr. James Burke

History is filled with ideas, discoveries, and inventions that although seemingly unrelated are connected in the most surprising ways.  James Burke has pulled together many of these threads into informative and interesting intellectual fabrics that he has presented as magazine articles, books, and very popular TV series.  We offer one of his TV series, Connections as a Summer course not requiring Omnilore participants to prepare and give presentations of their own.  Interesting little steps along the way include how James Watt, inventor of the first practical steam engine also revolutionized office work, Pizzaro defeating the Incas, the split over slavery in the 18th century, and how Freud is related to maps, and much more.

No Common Reading.

SH1:  2nd & 4th Friday, p.m. – Room 7

SH2: 1st & 3rd Wednesday, a.m. – Room 7

 

 

 

 

 

19.    (POET)  POETS, POEMS, and POETRY

This is a special group of dedicated lovers of poetry who will follow the same basic format of a Study/Discussion Group and meet to read and discuss their favorite poems, favorite poet, and poetry in general.  The typical session consists of the reading of at least 3 poems, each followed by a brief presentation about the poet and the selected poem.  Group discussion of the poem and poet will be included.  Poems may be selected from any source and a copy of the poem will be provided to each group member in advance.  This is an opportunity to meet with other poetry lovers and possible future poetry lovers to listen to, discuss, and analyze great poetry.

Common Reading:     None Suggested

POET:  1st & 3rd Friday, a.m. – Room 7