The Great Courses (Firm)

Logic is intellectual self-defense against such assaults on reason and also a method of quality control for checking the validity of your own views. But beyond these very practical benefits, informal logic—the kind we apply in daily life—is the gateway to an elegant and fascinating branch of philosophy known as formal logic, which is philosophy’s equivalent to calculus. Formal logic is a breathtakingly versatile tool. Much like a Swiss army...

Quantum mechanics gives us a picture of the world so radically counterintuitive that it has changed our perspective on reality itself. In Quantum Mechanics: The Physics of the Microscopic World, award-winning Professor Benjamin Schumacher gives you the logical tools to grasp the paradoxes and astonishing insights of this field.

To build a more accurate understanding of the brain, you should start by shattering popular myths. Brain Myths Exploded: Lessons from Neuroscience is an eye-opening journey into the neuroscience of everyday life. Each of Dr. Indre Viskontas’s 24 lectures use a prevalent brain myth to explore topics including decision making, memory, dreams, emotions, consciousness, mental illness, and more.

Acquire the Spanish indefinite articles (“a”, “an”, and “some” in English), and observe how indefinite articles are used in Spanish. Learn to count to 100, and practice simple math problems. Finally, complete your work with Spanish consonants, making important distinctions in the pronunciations of b, v, g, d, and x..

Continue working with vocabulary related to clothing, and practice describing clothing. Then study Spanish indirect object pronouns—pronouns that replace indirect objects—and learn verbs that commonly use them. Last, explore some additional strategies for learning and remembering new vocabulary..

Many political and cultural events sent shockwaves through the Irish world in the 19th and early 20th centuries as Ireland gradually shook off the shackles of British rule. Alongside a long and painful political process arose one of the greatest flourishings of literature in modern times. The Irish Revival that occurred around the turn of the 20th century fused and elevated aesthetic and civic ambitions, fueling a cultural climate of masterful artistic...

The Irish Renaissance in the early 20th century was a remarkable period for arts, literature, and culture—and it sprang out of the legendary history of the nation. To help us understand this pivotal period, Professor Conner traces the course of Irish history starting with the ancient Celts and running through the Middle Ages.

We commonly think of science fiction as dealing with the future, but there is a fascinating subset of science fiction that looks at the past. Learn how science fiction writers often mix real-life history with fiction and invoke mechanisms such as time travel to explore alternate histories—looking at how the world might have been different had history gone another direction at pivotal points in our past. One illuminating example of this approach,...

Turning Points in Modern History takes you on a far-reaching journey around the globe to shed light on how two dozen of the top discoveries, inventions, political upheavals, and ideas since 1400 have shaped the modern world. These 24 thought-provoking episodes start in the early 15th century and culminate in the age of social media to reveal astounding threads that weave through the centuries.

Discover what makes Antarctica such a visual wonderland for wildlife photographers. King penguins massed along an iceberg; wandering albatrosses in mid-flight; Mr. Laman reveals the trade secrets of how he manages to snag these and other dynamic shots in the midst of such a white, snowy environment.