Category Archives: Lectures

Classic lectures by Donald Knuth now online

Posted on July 6, 2011 by

Legendary computer scientist Donald Knuth, who is now a professor emeritus at Stanford University, was one of the founders of modern computer science. He authored the classic multi-volume text, The Art of Computer Programming, which laid the groundwork for the … Continue reading →

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Leo Strauss still speaks

Posted on May 20, 2011 by

Philosopher Leo Strauss (1899-1973) taught at the University of Chicago and inspired a generation of prominent conservative intellectuals, including Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, former Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, and former Secretary of Education William Bennett. He criticized modern … Continue reading →

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Limmud: Jewish studies for the UK and the world

Posted on May 17, 2011 by

Limmud started out as a yearly Jewish studies conference for educators in Britain. Now, 30 years after its founding, Limmud, which means learning in Hebrew, is a worldwide movement with local organizations that organize Jewish study weekends and conferences in … Continue reading →

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Gems from the Internet Archive

Posted on May 3, 2011 by

If you’ve ever tried to rummage around in the Internet Archive for interesting courses and lectures, you know that it can be a profoundly frustrating experience. The Archive, a non-profit digital library, has vast collections of audio and video material, … Continue reading →

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Why are we so fat?

Posted on March 25, 2011 by

Robert Lustig, professor of pediatrics at University of California, San Francisco, thinks he knows the culprit. It’s the sugar in all those sugary sodas, sugary sports drinks and fruit juices that we down so casually each day. He lays out … Continue reading →

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For public affairs junkies

Posted on January 7, 2011 by

With the recent demise of Princeton’s University Channel, what’s a public affairs junkie to do? Here are some alternative ways to feed your habit: UCLA International Institute (website, iTunes) The International Institute has its own podcasts and also hosts a … Continue reading →

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Why study philosophy?

Posted on December 13, 2010 by

The late, great Princeton philosophy professor Walter Kaufmann (1921-1980) enjoyed being a skeptic and a gadfly. He liked to ask: what’s the point in studying the works of philosophers with “dreadful views?” After all, Plato champions totalitarianism and Kierkegaard disdains … Continue reading →

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NYU joins Open Courseware club

Posted on December 3, 2010 by

New York University recently signed on to the open courseware movement with its new NYU Open Education project (website, iTunes). Although it is starting small with only two full courses, the website promises that we can look forward to additional … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic podcasts, Courses, History, iTunesU, Lectures, Literature, YouTube courses | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Treasure trove of philosophy resources

Posted on November 28, 2010 by

This one is for you philosophy fans. The blog WhooshUp has compiled a great list of philosophy podcasts and webcasts. There’s also a bit of literature thrown in for good measure. While the blog focuses mainly on the classes of … Continue reading →

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Does God have a physical body?

Posted on November 25, 2010 by

Brace yourself for this one: the God of the Hebrew Bible has a real physical body. That’s what biblical scholar Benjamin Sommer argues in his lecture The Bodies of God and the World of Ancient Israel: Part I (website, iTunes) … Continue reading →

Posted in Archaeology, Bible, Five-star professors, History, Idea of the week, iTunesU, Jewish studies, Lectures, Religion | Tagged , | 3 Comments