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.