Courses for Fall 2008
Please select "Register For Courses" on the left to register.
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We are taking a quick peek behind the cloistered doors of Cheever, Updike, Waugh and Amis, LLP. Two English who got what they wanted, sort of; two Americans who also did exactly what they set out to do. Is any one of them happy? We certainly are. Two hours each doesn’t begin to do the job but it will be fun, and instructor expects class to have read many if not all of the assigned books. And laughed. Instructor: John Neufeld See this instructors bio | ||||
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Join us for a vicarious trip to Rome. Visit Classical Rome, Medieval Rome, Renaissance Rome. We will visit Rome of the Baroque, of the Risorgimento, and Modern Rome too! This is the city where Kings, Consuls, Emperors, Popes, Princes, Cardinals, more Kings, the Leader, and a boatload of Prime Ministers have ruled for almost 3000 years. See the works of M.Agrippa, Sisto, Michelangelo, Bernini, Borromini, Caravaggio, Verdi and others. Registrants will be encouraged to share their own experiences and thoughts about the Eternal City. No class on October 13. Instructor: Charles Vail | ||||
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The course will examine key rulings of the Court during the past year and look at cases on the 2008-2009 docket. We will focus on what direction the Court is moving, the five to four vote decisions, and how this year’s presidential election may influence the future direction of the Court. Instructor: Laurance Rand See this instructors bio | ||||
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We encounter statistical data and probabilistic estimates almost daily-from political polls, to medical research, to sports gambling. With the help of an inexpensive outline text, we will work together to understand these concepts and use them in practical applications. Our task will be made easier with a bit of simple geometry and common sense. Instructor: Robert Bumcrot | ||||
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This course will investigate and celebrate some of the women who changed America and made possible the extraordinary opportunities available today to our daughters and granddaughters. Participants will be encouraged to share stories of the women in their own lives who also made a difference. Instructor: Alfred Dietzel | ||||
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Variety will characterize this term’s selections! We will hear Handel’s earliest opera Aggripina featuring three great countertenors, Boito’s Mefistofele with Samuel Ramey, and Britten’s chamber opera The Turn Of The Screw. The course will also include several all-star gala concerts from the world’s most famous opera houses. Instructor: Robert Julien See this instructors bio | ||||
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A broadening of French conversational usage will be attempted through the study of a series of contemporary essays. Purchase of Marguerite Yourcenat’s Mishima ou la vision duVide (under$20 new) will be required, aussi bien qu’un desir urgent de parler Francais. Instructor: John Leich See this instructors bio | ||||
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This course will begin with an analysis of the social, political, and most importantly, religious framework of the Elizabethan world into which Shakespeare was born in 1564. We will follow the development of the English common law from its origin in medieval times through the playwright’s day and see the connection between several of his early history plays and Elizabethan concepts of law and social order. We will consider several plays including The Merchant of Venice, The Winter’s Tale, and Measure for Measure to see how he used the law and legal principles. How faithful was he to the law, as he understood it? What dramatic license did he take? What does his use of the law tell us about Shakespeare the playwright and dramatist? Film clips from BBC productions will be used to demonstrate the legal principles under discussion. Instructor: Kathy McKnight | ||||
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Play reading classes take place in a relaxed atmosphere with all class enrollees reading parts in chosen plays. This semester we will begin with George Bernard Shaw’s Caesar and Cleopatra. Please bring a copy of this play with you to the first class. We will also be reading plays by Chekhov, Ibsen, and others. No theater experience necessary! No classes October 29 and November 5. Instructor: Marcia Friedman See this instructors bio | ||||
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On Thursday October 9th group transportation will be arranged to visit both museums. For those who are interested, a guided tour of The Clark is planned. Lunch reservations will be made on request. Registration is strictly limited to a maximum of 19 persons; a check for twenty dollars payable to The Taconic Learning Center must accompany your registration! Instructor: Marcia Friedman See this instructors bio | ||||
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There is no such thing as a “free lunch”, only one that someone else paid for. This will be a broad theme throughout the course as we cover basic economic principles including supply and demand, pricing, international trade, interest rates and monetary policy. We will cover today’s headline economic issues and see the interplay with contemporary politics. Sometimes government actions, however well intentioned, make bad situations worse. Neither Democrats nor Republicans will be spared! Instructor: Jerry Jamin See this instructors bio | ||||
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This course will look at how the United States can best position itself to maintain its leadership in an era of rising Chinese influence. We will start with the historic Nixon China visit in 1972 and then focus on the dramatic changes in China’s foreign policy, economy, and military posture. Along the way, Lyn Westsmith will discuss how the country’s three ancient religions: Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism help shape contemporary policy. There will be plenty of time for discussion and class participation. Instructor: Jerry Simonson | ||||
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This is a continuation of an earlier course in beginning German. Newcomers are welcome. This course presupposes understanding of 500-750 words, ability to distinguish gender and case in nouns and adjectives and recognition of present/past tense of verbs. No class on November 27. Instructor: John Leich See this instructors bio | ||||
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The universe is yielding its secrets to new technologies from long-range telescopes to super computers. Quantum mechanics is offering a new understanding of our true nature and ultimate reality. This course is designed as a platform on which we use new information to assemble a current state of awareness. Science has given us graphic descriptions of the beginning of everything (“the big bang”) and shows the possibilities of the end of creation (“the big crunch”), that very interestingly agrees with 5,000-year-old Hindu cosmology! The goals of this course are to help increase awareness of the rapidly changing scientific base, and to share appreciation of man’s movement in consciousness on planet earth. Math skills are not required for this course; only an inquiring mind! PBS videos and suggested readings will help along the way. Instructor: Jerry Oakes See this instructors bio |
