Course Schedule – Fall 2023 / History and Philosophy
The courses listed below, in the general area of history and philosophy, are currently offered at Quest.
Click on any title to view the related course page.
CONSTRUCTION: BEYOND BRICKS AND MORTAR
Coordinators: Andrea Irvine, Marion Schultheis, David Bartash
Birds do it. Bees do it. Even educated Questers do it. What is it? It’s construction.
EXPLORATIONS IN PHILOSOPHY AND LITERATURE
Coordinators: Larry Shapiro, Steve Allen
For each session, we will read an essay, classic short story, or excerpt from a play.
FASCINATING NONFICTION
Coordinators: Harriet Finkelstein, Bob Reiss, Ruth Ward
At each session the presenter will tell you about a book you always wanted to read or about a book you never heard of but will be glad that you now have.
HARLEM RENAISSANCE
Coordinators: Richard Byrd, Ilene Winkler, Hedy Shulman, Stuart Parker
The Harlem Renaissance was a period of great change in America, and in the African-American community in particular.
HISTORY OF MEDICINE
Coordinators: Karen Cullen, Donna Ramer, Michael Wellner
We interact with the medical world all the time, from our daily vitamin pill, to annual check-ups, to the occasional surgery or perhaps even treatment for a serious illness.
MEXICO: SOUTH OF OUR BORDER
Coordinators: Tamara Weinberg, Harriet Dubroff, Joyce Sabella
To visit Mexico is to be surrounded by color and music. A fascinating blend of butterflies and beaches, murals and museums, pyramids and ancient temples, Mexico is rich in history, culture, and natural beauty.
NYC AND ITS ENVIRONS
Coordinators: Paul Golomb, Bob Reiss
New York City is a tapestry. It is a 400-year development entailing subsequent waves of immigration and architectural styles.
SIXTIES
Coordinators: Richard Byrd, Paul Golomb, Diane Reynolds
The 1960s were a time of metamorphosis in U.S. history. The citizenry’s perception changed; African-Americans looked beyond the narrow corridor of civil rights. Women and gays refused to allow themselves to be marginalized any longer. The Vietnam War questioned the entire Military Industrial Complex.
TOCQUEVILLE’S DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA: A CLASSIC FOR OUR TIME
Coordinators: Sandy Kessler, Ellie Schaffer
Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America (1835;1840) is considered one of the greatest commentaries ever written on American life.