3 free and interesting courses for “all who wish to learn”

I’m not sure who coined the phrase “learning can be ‘fun’damental” but I am pretty sure the first time I heard it . . . I rolled my eyes. But as you get older, learning does indeed become more fun (probably because you get to learn the things you want to learn and not the things you have to learn). Right now, we’re all at home a lot more than usual. If you’re interested in learning while you can’t be out and about, look no further than Open Yale Courses. You can learn about a variety of subjects taught by “distinguished teachers and scholars at Yale University.” Each lecture is provided in HD video and audio-only formats. Here are three interesting topics you could start with…

The American Revolution: I’ve always enjoyed war movies, especially ones about the Revolutionary War, but I don’t remember studying the American Revolution in great detail in high school or college. I do recall the flames of interest being stoked about the time the Hamilton soundtrack came out. If you’re a history buff and you have an interest in learning more about this time in our nation’s history, check out HIST 116 taught by Joanne Freeman. “This Yale College course, taught on campus twice per week for 50 minutes, was recorded for Open Yale Courses in Spring 2010.” There are 25 lectures in this class.

Death: This is an interesting subject, but probably one that a lot of us don’t ponder on too often. PHIL 176 taught by Shelly Kagan looks at “a number of issues that arise once we begin to reflect on our mortality.” If you’re a philosophical person, you may enjoy pondering questions like “What does it mean to say that a person has died?” and “How should the knowledge that I am going to die affect the way I live my life?” If this is you, check it out. “This Yale College course, taught on campus twice per week for 50 minutes, was recorded for Open Yale Courses in Spring 2007.” There are 26 lectures in this class.

Epidemics in Western Society Since 1600: As we’re right in the middle of battling a pandemic right now, you might be interested in learning more about the “impact of epidemic diseases on western society and culture.” We’re all thinking a lot about COVID-19, but if you’re interested in some more in-depth study on these kinds of diseases, you should check out HIST 234 taught by Frank Snowden. “This Yale College course, taught on campus twice per week for 50 minutes, was recorded for Open Yale Courses in Spring 2010.” There are 26 lectures in this class.

For a list of other options available, click here.