No class 3/16 & 3/23

In the 20th century, European and Ottoman empires declined as the United States rose to global influence. While often voicing opposition to colonialism, the U.S. exerted its own power abroad. In competition with Russian and Chinese expansion, ideas of “American Exceptionalism” promoted democratic ideals overseas, even as racism, fascism, and prejudice persisted at home. This course examines forces such as Manifest Destiny, slavery, immigration exclusion, McCarthyism, the Cold War, and the policies of leaders including Kissinger, Cheney, and Trump.

Presenter: Steve Pollack lectures on culture, history, music and art in area schools, libraries, and community & continuing education groups.

NO CLASS FRI 3/20 & 4/3

A provocative examination of the history of morals with discussions, forums and debates about the origins and development of morals and ethics and their relation to law and justice. We'll explore frustrating questions about whether morals are real, illusory or a language puzzle, including:

• Are morals innate, or only meaningful in a society?
• Do we understand morals through religion, or can we know them by common-sense?
• Are morals universal, or relative from society to society?
• How do morals differ from ethics?
• Do we measure morality on the basis of intent, or outcome of situations?

The purpose of the class is to gain a better understanding of how we measure morality/legality in our world, and how it affects our attitudes toward politics, business and social media.

Presenter: Steve Pollack lectures on culture, history, music and art in area schools, libraries, and community & continuing education groups.