Online Courses   

Textbooks say philosophy began at Athens with the conversations of Socrates, dialogues of Plato and books of Aristotle, each using logic to solve philosophical questions. But philosophy began earlier — in the work of an intriguing assortment of thinkers from around the Greek world, who lived too early to get the memo from Socrates and his friends about how logic alone ought to be a philosopher’s best friend. These earlier thinkers ushered in a period of intellectual creativity, which didn’t calm down until after the later work of Socrates and his philosophical successors. This online course investigates philosophy’s early years by meeting these early thinkers on their own terms. No knowledge of the subject is needed to enjoy this class. Written lecture notes will be furnished in advance.

Sydney Banks, a Scottish welder working in Vancouver, B.C., had a profound mystical experience that transformed his life. Banks traveled the world teaching at universities, writing books and sharing about the principles he discovered. We will explore two novels of his, inspired by a Three Principles global community course: “Second Chance” and “In Quest of the Pearl.” Students are not required to read the books, because we will watch video excerpts of Three Principles teachers reading and discussing passages. These delightful, enchanting books follow Richard, a troubled man dealing with a terminal diagnosis, pain, grief and depression as he vacations on Maui. He meets a mentor, Jonathan, and their rich conversations evoke deep feelings of peace.

NOTE: This course is based upon two books by Sydney Banks, “Second Chance” and “In Quest of the Pearl.” Both books are available from the Jackson County Library Hoopla website as audiobooks. The instructor also has copies he can loan to students in the class.

Hot News & Cool Views is an open discussion forum to explore and discuss each week’s breaking news, from Oregon to around the globe. All views and opinions are not only welcome but essential for lively discussion in the group. We cover a wide range of topics, including politics, climate change, technology and medicine. An agenda with articles to read will be sent to you prior to each class. Students are encouraged to send in topics and news articles to add to each week’s agenda. Please join us for a sizzling hot journey around the world with our fast, fun and sometimes controversial class, whose success is largely a product of the wisdom, knowledge and experience of our great group. Many people take our class again because it’s better than a strong cup of coffee to get your week going! 

The existential crisis we face due to global climate change and the copious need for data center electricity has brought renewed interest in nuclear energy. Recent advances in fission reactor technology such as small modular reactors (SMRs) and in plasma and fusion reactor science (the “breakeven” experiment at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) hold promise for achieving these needs. In this course students will learn: 1) the history and context for nuclear energy; 2) fundamental physics of radioactivity, fission and fusion; 3) how nuclear reactors work; 4) safety, risk and licensing; 5) recycling and radioactive waste disposal; 6) current developments for advanced fission and fusion systems; 7) sociopolitical and socioeconomic issues; and 8) resource and supply chain issues.

NOTE: A scientific or technical background is not required for this course. All are welcome! 

“Prophet Song” is the 2023 Booker Prize winner by Irish novelist Paul Lynch. This gem of a novel was described as a “prophetic masterpiece” in the Washington Post. Through lyrical prose, Paul Lynch slowly reveals a horrific scenario through the experience of his protagonist Eilish, a scientist and mother of four, whose husband, a union organizer, is “disappeared” at the start of a hostile government takeover of Ireland. Described in the New York Times as coming “at a moment when the fear it addresses is daily in the news,” this novel is not an easy read, and yet it is essential. Students will read portions of the novel each week and discuss their responses to the unraveling of Eilish’s life. Students may find a glimmer of hope when introduced to the hidden mythic elements in the narrative. 

NOTE: Students are encouraged to read the entire novel before the course begins. 

Published in 1975, E.L. Doctorow’s “Ragtime” explores themes of race, class and the rise of consumer culture in the early 20th century across a wide variety of fictional and historical characters living in a world on the cusp of change. The intertwined storylines follow three families — a white upper-class family, Jewish immigrants and an African American couple with a newborn baby — as they search for belonging in a rapidly changing America. Using lectures, discussions and even music, we will examine both the times depicted in the novel and the societal factors that were at work when it was written. Fifty years have passed since “Ragtime” was published, yet its themes are still relevant: the complex drive for progress, the search for meaning and the struggle for freedom and peace.

NOTE: Participants should read the novel before the course begins. This course is part of an online share with OLLI at the University of Nevada, Reno. Please note that the last session(s) of the course extend beyond the OLLI at SOU term.

Northern Spain is a geologic wonderland that is easily explored because of its accessible coastline and mountain exposures. This course will focus on three areas, how they formed and how to visit them: 1) Los Picos de Europa, a National Park in Cantabria Province, where limestone peaks were formed during the Paleozoic Era and uplifted during the collision between Africa and Europe that also created the Alps. This province also contains an abundance of Paleolithic rock art. 2) The Dinosaur Coast in Asturias Province, where many types of dinosaurs roamed during the Jurassic Period. 3) The Basque Geopark in the Basque Country, where 60 million years of geologic history, including the end-of-Cretaceous mass extinction, are exposed along 20 km of spectacular coastline. 

This course is the beginning of a multiyear discussion of the 1850-1880 Civil War era. Although war was not inevitable, it became increasingly likely as 1850s “influencers” in both the North and South drew ever-deepening lines in the sand. Three topics will be addressed: 1) Pasts and Preludes: What were the social and political conditions that created this contested monument in our national historical consciousness? 2) Abolitionists and Fire-Eaters: Both proslavery and antislavery politicians and preachers enlisted the Bible in their efforts to disentangle a knotty institution tightly wound in the nation’s identity, and 3) Widening Chasms and Existential Crises: By the early 1850s, the rifts in American society had widened so considerably that compromise seemed impossible to achieve.

NOTE: The course will meet on three nonconsecutive Wednesdays: Nov. 4, Nov. 18 and Dec. 2. This course is shared with OLLI at the University of Nevada, Reno. Please note that the last session of the course extends beyond the OLLI at SOU term.

This course presents three mini-histories of science, each centering on a question that has intrigued humanity for millennia: 1) How old is the Earth? 2) Are there beings on the heavenly bodies? 3) How do we find our way? (Mapmaking and direction-finding.) In each session we trace the history of answers to one of these questions from the Classical period to our present-day understandings. The trail leads to some fascinating nooks and crannies of both science and history. (Thomas Jefferson’s obsession with mammoths, for one.) We also explore how scientific thought was shaped by nonscientific beliefs that answered these questions with radically different assumptions and logic. Class sessions will consist of lectures with PowerPoint presentations and time for discussion and Q&A. 

NOTE: The online section of this course will not meet on Nov. 11.