(0)
(0)
(0)
(0)The Great Courses (Firm)
Author
Description
Logic is intellectual self-defense against such assaults on reason and also a method of quality control for checking the validity of your own views. But beyond these very practical benefits, informal logic—the kind we apply in daily life—is the gateway to an elegant and fascinating branch of philosophy known as formal logic, which is philosophy’s equivalent to calculus. Formal logic is a breathtakingly versatile tool. Much like a Swiss army...
Description
We commonly define the Pythagorean theorem using the formula a2 + b2 = c2. But Pythagoras himself would have been confused by that. Explore how this famous theorem can be explained using common geometric shapes (no fancy algebra required), and how it’s a critical foundation for the rest of geometry.
Description
Local produce is readily available year round when you know tricks for off-season gardening. Learn the advantages of and methods for planting during the “second spring,” including tips on building a simple, inexpensive structure that creates a microclimate, making it possible to harvest fresh food all winter long..
Description
Quantum mechanics gives us a picture of the world so radically counterintuitive that it has changed our perspective on reality itself. In Quantum Mechanics: The Physics of the Microscopic World, award-winning Professor Benjamin Schumacher gives you the logical tools to grasp the paradoxes and astonishing insights of this field.
Description
Examine the phenomenon of the mind-body connection to see how you can positively influence your mind in order to improve your body. This area of research is opening the door to new ways of thinking about and approaching various healing techniques. Dr. Bauer shares the latest findings and examples.
Description
Explore what modern science has revealed about mindfulness and the many ways in which it can benefit your life. In these 22 lessons, renowned specialists share their own personal experiences and their latest research, and they guide you through several mindfulness exercises. The result: an immersive experience of mindfulness, its practice, and its benefits.
Description
Investigate the nature of anxiety and fear, seeing their roots in fantasies about the future. Consider how we typically cope with worry and anxiety by distracting ourselves, and how mindfulness training can free us from anxiety through directly facing our fears while grounded in the present moment.
Description
The Egyptian viceroy Muhammad Ali is widely referred to as the Father of Modern Egypt. Learn about his bloody ascension to power, ending 600 years of intermittent Mamluk rule. Trace Ali’s 43-year reign, during which he introduced a modern, European-style army, modern education, a professional civil service, and thriving industrial development.
Description
Dating back to Sputnik in the 1950s, education culture has been driven by anxiety. Learn about the history of “crisis” in U.S. education before investigating how America’s educational system compares with schools and students in other countries. Focus on TIMSS in particular, which tracks mathematics and science achievement in about 70 countries..
Description
Shift your attention to electronic surveillance, and see how the monitoring of web searches and emails allows the government to gain insights into potential security risks from abroad. But even though the surveillance program has oversight, some people fear the potential for abuse is high. Look at both sides of the issue.
13) The Red Lecture
Description
Turn now to the color red, which holds a unique place in the pantheon of colors, thanks to its primal significance in expressing fear, strength, beauty, status, and passion. What do we know with confidence about the meanings behind the color red? Find out by examining several powerful examples of the color red at work.
Description
In the second and third centuries, Christian groups followed radically different beliefs and theologies. Learn about the "docetists", who believed Jesus was not human, but only appeared to be so, highlighting Marcion, a docetist who conceived of two distinct gods - a God of the Jews and a God of Jesus.
Description
Turn your attention toward fruit that we commonly think of as vegetables, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, and summer squash. Begin with a look at heirloom tomatoes, then learn how to prepare simple dishes bursting with flavor, including Catalan toast, caprese salad with burrata, stuffed tomatoes, and tabouleh salad.
Description
The claim, the evidence, and the warrant: these three elements provide the structure of a strong argument. Unpack each of these elements by studying what they are, how they work, and how they come together to produce an argument. Then home in on the warrant, which is often the most vulnerable part of an argument - and therefore the element easiest to challenge.
Description
Start taking control of your professional organizational behavior with this introductory lecture on how to achieve lasting results. You’ll explore how to use the S.T.O.P. (“sit, think, organize, perform”) method to improve job satisfaction, reduce stress, and enhance your professional performance..
Description
In this lecture, women step out of the three traditional roles they are typically reduced to in the mystery and suspense genre: victim, femme fatale, or detective. By examining a variety of books over the last century, Professor Schmid looks at both the good and the bad roles of women in the genre and how these stories have elevated female characters to more complex and nuanced roles.
Description
Islam has had a profound impact on South Asia, and today the region has the largest Muslim population in the world. After surveying the history and pillars of Islam and its origins in the Middle East, Professor Fisher examines how many people of South Asia became Muslim via trade, invasion, devotion, or personal motivation.