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  • From the co-author of the world's best-selling psychology textbook comes the perfect audio course for those who want to understand the secrets of the human brain and our behavior. Join acclaimed professor Nathan DeWall in answering your big questions about psychology.      Psychology is a science and uses the same methods as other sciences. But there is a big difference: many psychological topics are difficult to evaluate and measure. Some of our most valuable qualities—self-esteem, memory, emotion, thinking, personality—seem ineffable.   Through Prof. DeWall, you will get a backstage pass to many of the mind's mysteries, including why some people are prone to depression, why some therapies work while others don't, and why some romantic relationships succeed while others flop. By understanding psychology as a science, you will have a better understanding of yourself and the world around you.   In this engaging 24-lecture course, Prof. DeWall takes you on a wild ride through the mind. Incorporating vivid case studies and psychological research, the lectures challenge you to reconsider what you think you know about the mind and offer practical tools to improve your daily life.   Prof. Dewall has been called "one of the most influential psychological science leaders of his generation."   Listen today for an in-depth look at the human mind and its profound mysteries.

  • Join award-winning historian Christopher Bellitto on this gripping journey through centuries of Greek history. Ancient Greece was one of the most fertile civilizations in history, and its influence on Western philosophy, theology, and civilization is undeniable. Now, you can discover the fascinating legacy of ancient Greece through entertaining and enlightening lectures. With Prof. Bellitto, you will gain a deeper understanding of what made ancient Greece so unique: its polis and democracy, its great battles and personalities, its soaring artistic and literary achievements. You'll also explore dark corners of this civilization, such as its treatment of women and slaves. You will travel from the walls of Troy to the theatres of Athens, from the Delphic oracle to the Spartans' stand at Thermopylae, from Socrates' trial and Alexander the Great's long journeys to the moment where Rome conquered Greece. You'll begin by asking where ancient Greece fits on a broad canvas of world history, geography, and chronology viewed from a wide-angle lens. You will move forward in time, stopping often to explore closely important moments, topics, and themes. You will cover the most essential events in ancient Greece as you travel through millennia of history. Join Prof. Bellitto on this fascinating journey today.

  • Heralded as one the world's most compelling Church historians, Chris Bellitto transports you into the heart of a strange and wonderful world—the world of medieval Europe. Explore some of the most powerful theological ideas, economic tensions, and political struggles that shaped Western civilization. This series traces western European civilization—with detours to the East—from the transformation of the Roman Empire to a thousand-year medieval period that started slowly before 1000, flowered for 300 years, and then declined sharply with the Black Death and social revolts until Constantinople fell in 1453 and Columbus sailed in 1492. Explore Charlemagne's renaissance, agricultural and commercial revolutions, new types of religious life introduced by spiritual masters from Benedict to Francis, dynastic wars, and courtly literature. You will treasure this course as a timeless resource for understanding the people and events that have shaped faith, art, medicine, literature, and government. Encounter famous historical and literary figures such as Mohammed, Augustine, Richard the Lionhearted, and King Arthur, in their own historical context. You'll understand how the Middle Ages fit within the broader historical timeline of Europe and the rest of the world. This course promises to delight and amaze you.

  • A gripping and authoritative 24-lecture history course on the Vietnam War from the award-winning professor who cowrote "Argument without End" with Robert McNamara. Using newly available archival and source material from the United States and Vietnam, Vassar College professor Robert K. Brigham helps you grapple with the legacy of the Vietnam War today. Based on more than 100 trips to Vietnam and extensive interviews with key players from all sides, Prof. Brigham weaves vivid biographical sketches and rich anecdotes into recorded history. His masterful storytelling will help you look behind common assumptions about the conflict.  Not since the Civil War had the American national consciousness been as strained as it was by the conflict in Southeast Asia. Indeed, the controversies that the Vietnam War spurred on the home front are more familiar to many Americans than the policies and motives that guided the conflict. "Vietnam: The Definitive History of the War" fills that gap. The provocative questions Prof. Brigham raises will help you reexamine the war from today's vantage.  Throughout, Prof. Brigham sheds light on the United States and its place in the world today. Under his expert guidance, you will gain fresh understanding of this momentous chapter in American history.

  • Judaism is not only a religious faith but also a set of beliefs, practices, symbols, and institutions. More than that, it's a civilization and culture of a people both diverse and united by a history of exile and perseverance. Explore the storied history, texts, and traditions of one of the world's oldest living religions and civilizations. As an award-winning professor and an observant Jew, Howard Lupovitch brings a wealth of knowledge to his audio course on Judaism. With the balanced perspective of a scholar, he guides you through its rise, development, and diversification. Under his tutelage, you will also discover the fascinating differences and similarities between Judaism and other Abrahamic faiths. Starting with a general introduction, you'll establish a contextual framework and learn essential vocabulary. Prof. Lupovitch then takes you on a journey through the history of Judaism in three sections: 1. Ancient Israel: Examine the Hebrew Bible, the concept of diaspora, and the origins of Jewish beliefs. 2. Judaism's Emergence as a Way of Life: Learn why Rabbinic Judaism became the religion's dominant form and established the pillars of Jewish customs. 3. Modern Challenges: Study different denominations and labels as well as debates on Jewish identity. Whether your interests lie in history, interreligious understanding, or culture, this course will enlighten and entertain you.

  • Stuart Vyse, Ph.D., is the author of "Believing in Magic: The Psychology of Superstition," which received the William James Book Award of the American Psychological Association. A celebrated psychologist and professor as well as a recognized author, he is the perfect guide for this audio series on the power of superstition. This wide-ranging course reveals the method to our madness in everything from finances to Friday the 13th. An expert on irrational behavior, Prof. Vyse discusses what it means to be rational before delving into the many reasoning errors and psychological challenges that lead us astray. In 15 lectures, you will learn to identify the logical fallacies and quirks of our psychology that tempt us to make unwise decisions. While the course is based in theory, it's also teeming with practical advice. You'll examine several popular conspiracy theories before exploring the remarkable staying power of common "bad luck" superstitions: How did these superstitions come to be? Is it always bad to be irrational? At what point do our beliefs veer into the territory of wishful thinking or willful ignorance? Packed with fun examples and everyday pointers, this course leaves you thinking long and hard about how you think. With Prof. Vyse's guidance, you'll learn to better understand your beliefs and make better decisions.

Course-style podcasts from leading professors.

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Course-style podcasts from the world's best professors covering history, psychology, science, wellness, philosophy and more. Join us today.

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