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August 26, 2009

Free Online Psychology Audio & Video Resources

FreePsychologyOnlineBlogFeature.jpgCheck out 25 of the top free psychology audio books, lectures, & podcasts available for free online. For the past five years we’ve featured dozens of free psychology resources as part of our Free Resource of the Day Emails. From these emails, we’ve curated the 25 titles listed below, which include introductions to psychology and psycho-analysis, the evolutionary origins of the human mind, and what the latest neuroscience research is revealing about how human beings operate. We also feature resources that delve into ways you can boost brain performance, how to cope with depression, and what it means to be truly happy. Click any of the 25 titles listed below to get started:

1. Dream Psychology: Psychoanalysis for Beginners

Download the audio book of Sigmund Freud’s Dream Psychology. This book distills Freud’s ideas on dream psychology into a compact manual. While Freud’s magnum opus The Interpretation Of Dreams can be overwhelming in its length and scientific language, this audio book attempts to convey Freud’s words on dream psychology in language fit for the lay reader through these nine straightforward chapters:

# 1. Dreams Have a Meaning
# 2. The Dream Mechanism
# 3. Why the Dream Disguises the Desires
# 4. Dream Analysis
# 5. Sex in Dreams
# 6. The Wish in Dreams
# 7. The Function of the Dream
# 8. The Primary and Secondary Process – Regression
# 9. The Unconscious and Consiousness – Reality

This book is presented on audio for the first time by Librivox.org and is narrated by a number of their volunteer narrators.

2. The Origin of the Human Mind

In this streaming UCTV video Lecture, cognitive scientist Martin Sereno gives us a survey of the brain’s evolution. With thorough visual aids, Sereno examines the difference between the human brain and that of other species, showcasing experiments he has conducted that have helped broaden our understanding of the physical mechanics behind human thought. The biggest question he poses is why our minds are so special, when organically the human brain is 99% similar to that of the primates. Learn why size doesn’t matter when it comes to brain power!

3. Jung Podcast

This podcast is devoted to the understanding of the analytical psychology of the great Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung. Jungian analyst John Betts (who graduated from the International School of Analytical Psychology in Zurich, Switzerland) introduces listeners to Carl Jung’s theories of the structure of the psyche, the Anima & Animus, the Persona, Jungian dream interpretation, active imagination, individuation, and more! John Betts is incredibly lucid and articulate in describing these theories, providing real life examples and quoting Jung and other Jungians as he goes along. It’s basically a course on Jung, and one would do best to start with Betts’ first podcasts and work his or her way through them.

4. Introduction to Psychology

MIT OpenCourseWare is offering their Introduction to Psychology course for free on MP3 download. Professor Jeremy Wolfe guides listeners through the basic functions of the brain including emotions, memory, cognition, language development, and more. He finishes off the course with lectures on Freud and mental illness. Wolfe is an engaging lecturer that pulls listeners in from the first lecture. Each lecture features a PDF download of lecture notes to supplement the audio. Download or stream this course through MIT OpenCourseWare.

5. Boosting the Brain’s Power Into Old Age

In this lecture delivered at the Chautauqua Institution, author Dharma Singh Khalsa talks about “Boosting the Brain’s Power Into Old Age”. He provides methods for preventing Alzheimer’s disease and other brain related illnesses, and how to boost your memory and to become more mentally energetic. Dr. Dharma provides some nutrition and supplement suggestions. He claims that the days of declining mental activity during old age are over with, if people will make a conscious effort to maintain their healthy brain. This title is available on streaming video and MP3 download from FORA.tv.

6. Jill Bolte Taylor’s Stroke of Insight

In this moving talk delivered at the TED conference, brain researcher Jill Bolte Taylor provides a first-person account of her own stroke and the experience of losing control of her bodily functions as well the functions of the left side of her brain. Instead of it being a painful or frightening experience, she said the stroke put her in a intense state of bliss and nirvana. Sharing this experience became her motivation for recovery. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from the TED.com website.

7. The Neuroscience of Consciousness, Perception, and Self

While covering the Iraq war in 2006, TV news Journalist Bob Woodruff suffered a traumatic brain injury after nearly losing his life to a roadside bomb. In this fascinating discussion from the Aspen Institute, Woodruff traces how he rebuilt his ability to comprehend the world step by step; showing the viewers video of his first few days of rehabilitation through to his still ongoing attempts to recover lost brain functions. Woodruff offers a prime case study for scientists that are attempting to uncover the many mysteries of human consciousness. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download through FORA.tv.

8. A Beautiful Mind: Genius, Madness, Reawakening

Listen to the truly inspiring story of mathematician John Nash as told by the author of A Beautiful Mind Dr. Sylvia Nasar. In this amazing one-hour lecture Dr. Nasar tells of the rise of John Nash as a genius in mathematics and his eventual downward spiral into paranoid schizophrenia which was followed by an amazing resurgence from his mental illness in his later years culminating in winning the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1994. It’s a remarkable story and a must-watch lecture if you’ve never seen it before. Dr. Nasar delivers the story with clarity and heartfelt emotion. It is available on streaming video from MIT World.

9. Ten Days in a Madhouse

This classic piece of investigative journalism was written by Nellie Bly, one of the first female newspaper reporters. She went undercover to reveal the conditions of asylums in New York. This audio book is narrated by Alice at LibriVox, and she has the youthful spunk of Nellie Bly’s writing. It is available on MP3 Download.

10. Sherwin B. Nuland on Electroshock Therapy

In this TED talk American surgeon, author, and Yale professor Sherwin B. Nuland talks about the history of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for treatment of severe major depression and other mental illnesses. He then proceeds to tell about his own recovery from major depression through electroshock therapy back in the 1970s. After his first marriage failed he fell into a deep depression until he could no longer function. When no other treatments worked the doctors attempted electroshock therapy which led to a remarkable recovery. This talk is available on streaming video and downloadable video from TED.

11. Oliver Sacks: Musicophilia

In this lecture from FORA.tv, neurologist and author Oliver Sacks (who authored the popular book Awakenings) discusses his latest book Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain. He tells stories about his many patients over the years and their experiences with music both as an affliction and a treatment for the brain. Sacks purports that human responsiveness to music is intrinsic to the human brain. This lecture is offered on streaming video and MP3 download through FORA.tv.

12. Vilayanur Ramachandran: A Journey to the Center of Your Mind

In this TED talk, neurologist Vilayanur Ramachandran provides some neuroscientific explanations for puzzling psychological and physiological phenomena. He covers why after certain brain injuries patients cannot visually recognize their mother, how to amputated patients can overcome the pain of phantom limbs for only $3, and why certain people see colors when they look at numbers and letters. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from the TED.com website.

13. Dan Ariely: The Upside of Irrationality

Use irrationality to help you overcome bad habits and achieve your goals. Behavioral economist Dan Ariely’s bestselling book Predictably Irrational showed how people frequently make irrational decisions regarding their health, their spending habits, and much more. In this lecture Ariely talks about his latest book The Upside of Irrationality where he shows the negative and positive effects of irrationality and how we can use irrational means towards our own rational objectives. He tells of experiments and examples where irrational incentives were used to help fight global warming, to motivate people to take care of their health, and to prevent people from texting while they’re driving. It’s one of the most fun lectures we’ve listened to all year. This lecture is available on MP3 download and streaming video from the Forum Network.

14. The Soul in Depression

Listen to this podcast from American Public Media’s Speaking of Faith program covering the topic of depression. Nearly ten million Americans are diagnosed with clinical depression, and if you have experienced depression or know someone who has then this audio program is a helpful resource covering the spiritual side of depression. In this podcast host Krista Tippett interviews author of The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression Andrew Solomon, Quaker author & activist Parker Palmer, and poet Anita Barrows about their experiences with depression. Each author discusses some of the life-affirming, spiritual qualities that can come from someone who has survived a bout of depression. This podcast is available on MP3 download and streaming audio from the Speaking of Faith website.

15. Dan Gilbert: Why Are We Happy? Why Aren’t We Happy?

Check out this TED talk from Harvard psychologist and the author of Stumbling on Happiness, Dan Gilbert. Gilbert provides info from studies that reveal that what we often think will make us happy is the opposite of the case. He shows that because we have the ability to consider the future, we are much better prepared for the results and can usually be happy regardless. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from the TED.com website.

16. 23 Intuitive Development Exercises from Sounds True

Listen to 23 Intuitive Development Exercises from Sounds True. In these exercises you’ll hear teachers such as Judith Orloff, Caroline Myss, Cyndi Dale, Laura Alden Kamm, and many more. These teachers cover what intuition is and how you can further develop it. Note: These exercises are streaming audio only and not downloadable.

17. Mindsight: The New Science of Personal Transformation

In this hour-long talk delivered at Google, author and brain researcher Dr. Daniel Siegel explains his definition of the what the mind is. He takes us on a quick overview of the functions of the brain, from the spinal cord all the way up to the prefrontal cortex where he argues that the uniqueness of humans stems from. From his research and experience Siegel lays out nine integral functions of this part of the brain including reflective awareness, empathy, morality, and more. He then talks about his discovery of mindfulness and how the practice of mindfulness cultivates all these functions of the middle prefrontal brain. Dr. Siegel expresses his hope that along with reading, writing, and arithmetic, the 4th of reflection would be taught in education to help cultivate mindfulness and healthy brain function. This talk is available from Google and can be watched on YouTube.

18. Robert Whitaker: Rise of Mental Illness in America

Journalist and author Robert Whitaker takes time to talk about his book Anatomy of an Epidemic: Magic Bullets, Psychiatric Drugs, and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America in this talk delivered at the Harvard Book Store. Whitaker shows how mental illness has been rising in America in the past 50 years despite the development of numerous psychiatric drugs to treat various mental illnesses. While Whitaker acknowledges that using these drugs selectively can be effective in the short term, he presents studies that suggest that many of these psychiatric drugs are not effective in curing mental illness in the long term. Going against the status quo of what psychiatry practices today, Whitaker shakes up many commonly held assumptions about treating mental illness and suggests ways of treatment that are more selective in regards to prescribing drugs and that have also proven to be more effective. His talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from the Forum Network.

19. Mental Efficiency

Listen to this audio book on how to exercise one’s mind for maximum efficiency. English novelist Arnold Bennett uses his wit to convey how we work hard at the up keep of our physical bodies, while we often do little to workout our minds. He gives examples of ways to give the mind a workout. He also features essays that explore the presentation of self, breaking free from the past, relationships and marriage, and how to achieve success. This audio book is well narrated by Ruth Golding at Librivox who has a lovely British accent. It has a running time of 3 Hrs. and is available on MP3 download.

20. In Depth: Temple Grandin

In this three-hour interview from BookTV’s In-Depth series, Animals in Translation author Temple Grandin discusses her autism and the wide spectrum of autism, and how she has used her insights into autism to help her relate to the inner worlds of animal. Her autism leads to hypersensitivity to noise and other sensory stimuli and she correlates it to how animals perceive the world through their senses. She talks about how she has used this correlation to improve animal welfare in the agricultural industry. In the interview Grandin also provides a host of insights into what it is like to live as an autistic person. This talk is available on streaming video from C-SPAN’s BookTV.

21. Q&A with Dr. Amen

Dr. Daniel G. Amen is a psychiatrist and the bestselling author of Making a Good Brain Great. In this media resource on his site he answers some of the most popular questions he has been asked over the years covering many points on brain health. He answers questions about the best supplements to take for the brain, methods of treatment for various psychological conditions, and addresses many other interesting brain inquiries. Enjoy these answers from a doctor who has dedicated his life to looking at the brain. This Q&A audio is available on streaming audio from the Amen Clinics website.

22. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi on Flow

Check out this TED talk from psychology professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi who authored the book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Csikszentmihalyi talks about how he became interested in psychology after World War II when he heard a lecture by Carl Jung. Csikszentmihalyi eventually began his psychological study of how average people become extraordinary which he attributes to the idea of “flow” when one become completely involved in an activity for its own sake. Csikszentmihalyi provides many examples of individuals who have tapped into this “flow” state. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from the TED.com website.

23. A Practical Guide to Self-Hypnosis

If you’ve ever been interested in hypnotizing yourself, this audio book might be a good place to start. This book by Melvin Powers covers the history and applications of self-hypnosis. The book purports to explain how self-hypnosis can alleviate distressing symptoms, substitute strong responses for weak responses, help overcome bad habits, create good habits, and help one’s power of concentration. Find out for yourself how effective self-hypnosis is. This book is adequately narrated by Andrea Fiore and is available on MP3 download from LibriVox.org.

24. The New Psychology of Depression

From Oxford University comes this 3-hour series covering “The New Psychology of Depression”. Dr. Danny Penman and Professor Mark Williams (co-authors of the book Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World) discuss the global health problem of depression and the current methods for treating it including medication and therapy. They then discuss Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) which Professor Williams co-developed. They describe what MBCT is and the success that it has had in preventing relapse of depression in the many studies that have been conducted throughout the world. Anyone who has experienced depression or knows someone who has should listen to this great series on the latest information about treating depression. Note: To play the podcasts click the Download File links.

25. Daniel Goleman: Why Aren’t We All Good Samaritans?

In this brief TED talk, psychologist and author of Emotional Intelligence Daniel Goleman discusses his research into the psychology of compassion and being a “good Samaritan”. He suggests that our emotional response to be compassionate towards others is an automatic response when we see people suffering, and it is only by turning this emotion off through the busyness of our daily lives that we suppress this desire to help others. He then provides some inspirational stories for how we might all work towards being good Samaritans. This TED talk is available streaming video and MP3 download through the TED.com site.

We’ve been sending out our Free Resource of the Day Emails for many years now. If you’ve not subscribed yet, we highly encourage you to do so.




May 6, 2009

Learn About World Religions with Free Audio & Video

We’re excited to share 25 of the top free world religion books, lectures and podcasts selected from LearnOutLoud.com’s Free Audio & Video directory. For years we’ve put an emphasis on showcasing the rich variety of world religious faith in our Free Resource of the Day Emails. From these resources we’ve distilled it down to the best, including material that covers Buddhism, Jewish History, Islamic Philosophy, Hinduism, Confucianism and more. Comparative religion lecturers and speakers include Huston Smith, the Dalai Lama, Alan Watts, Thich Nhat Hanh, Matthew Fox, and many more. Our aim with this list is to give both the scholar and learner alike a great overview of world’s religions and how all of these faith traditions are interacting in a shrinking modern world. Click the links below to get started!

1. Buddha, Man, and Jesus

Three advocates argue for their differing belief systems in this downloadable audio lecture released by the Veritas Forum. Christian, Buddhist and Secular perspectives are each given equal weight in addressing humanity’s long quest for knowledge and meaning. Issues such as religious fanaticism, the existence of evil, the afterlife, and social justice are all given balanced appraisal in this remarkably even-handed debate. Available on MP3 download.

2. Alan Watts Podcast

The Alan Watts Podcast features recordings of one of the great western interpreters of Eastern religion: Alan Watts. In lectures on this podcast feed, Alan Watts discusses Buddhism, Zen, Hinduism, Taoism, and much else related to the world’s religions. If you’ve never heard Alan Watts lectures before, please do yourself a favor and listen to this podcast.

3. Revealing World Religions Podcast

Revealing World Religions Podcast is offered by ThinkingStrings.com and features the narrated text of Revealing World Religions by Dr. Cynthia Eller of Montclair State University. This podcasted audio book features these 10 modules covering many of the World’s Religions:

* Exploring Religion
* Hinduism
* Confucianism
* Taoism
* Buddhism
* Shinto
* Judaism
* Christianity
* Islam
* Religious Pluralism

All of these are currently available on the feed and work as introductions to these religious traditions.

4. Crash Course on Jewish History

This is a free course on Jewish History from a Jewish perspective taught by Rabbi Ken Spiro. In over 30 lectures, Spiro covers everything from Abraham to modern Israel always pointing out the lessons that Jews can learn from their history. Many of the lectures are free to download on MP3 from SimpleToRemember.com.

5. Zencast

Zencast has been offering Zen Buddhism teachings on podcast for many years now and the great thing is they’ve kept all their podcasts up on their feed so each of them can still be downloaded. Included on this feed is an unabridged recording of the key Buddhist text The Dhammapada translated and read by Zencast host Gil Fronsdal. Fronsdal also teaches a five part “Introduction to Meditation” class. Other frequent speakers on Zencast include Thich Nhat Hanh and Eckhart Tolle. These podcasts are essential listening for anyone looking to learn more about Zen Buddhism.

6. The Genius of Jesus

In this lecture from the Veritas Forum, Christian philosopher and author Dallas Willard talks about the importance of Jesus of Nazareth throughout history when it comes to confronting the reality of existence. Willard feels that present-day universities apply a materialistic knowledge or a New Age philosophy when it comes to confronting moral life, which leaves out the essential teachings of Jesus. He posits four great questions of existence and explains the answers which Jesus gave to these questions. This lecture is available on streaming audio and MP3 download from the Veritas forum.

7. Karen Armstrong in Conversation with Alan Jones

Listen to this discussion between author Karen Armstrong and Rev. Alan Jones, the Dean of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. They discuss Armstrong’s latest book The Bible: A Biography and Armstrong provides her interpretation of The Good Book. They discuss biblical criticism, biblical literalism, and the Golden Rule. They also confront the New Atheists who have recently attacked the Abrahamic religions. This talk is available on MP3 download and streaming video through FORA.tv.

8. The Nature of Islam

In this streaming audio discussion offered by Boston University’s World of Ideas forum, spokesman for Islam, Christianity and Judaism convene to examine the modern misconceptions of Islam in the wake of 9/11. Each pundit is given equal footing on hot topic issues such as Islam’s concept of Jihad, Martyrdom, Women’s rights, Religious Tolerance and other explosive issues that have become part of everyday news. Join these three men of faith as they work to find common ground on what binds their separate religions, and work to illuminate misunderstandings that could potentially tear the world apart.

9. Huston Smith

In this streaming video interview, MeaningOfLife.tv host Robert Wright interviews world religions scholar Huston Smith (author of the bestselling classic The World’s Religions). Wright asks Smith some difficult questions regarding the state of religion in the present world and about Smith’s tolerant and inclusive views towards all religions. Huston Smith replies with clarity and compassion. This interview is available as a streaming video through Google Video.

10. His Holiness – The XIV Dalai Lama

In this free video from UCTV, His Holiness the Dalai Lama addresses a packed crowd at UC-Irvine on the topic of “Ethical Self-Awareness & Personal Transformation”. With humor and humility the Dalai Lama speaks on the importance of awareness in overcoming anger and other negative emotions. This event is available on streaming video or video download from Google Video.

11. Sadhana, the Realisation of Life

From the preeminent Bengali poet & philosopher Rabindranath Tagore, comes this free audio rendition of his 1913 book Sadhana, the Realisation of Life. Published the same year he won the Nobel Prize for Literature, this audio book is an accessible introduction to India’s philosophical and spiritual heritage. The chapters include:

* Chapter 1: The Relation of the Individual to the Universe
* Chapter 2: Soul Consciousness
* Chapter 3: The Problem of Evil
* Chapter 4: The Problem of Self
* Chapter 5: Realisation In Love
* Chapter 6: Realisation In Action
* Chapter 7: The Realisation of Beauty
* Chapter 8: Realisation of The Infinite

This book is narrated by some of the better narrators at LibroVox (including 3 chapters by my favorite, Chip Doc). It is available on MP3 download from LibriVox.

12. Spiritual Classics Podcast

We’ve launched a new podcast at LearnOutLoud.com entitled Spiritual Classics. In the coming weeks we plan to feature passages of classics texts from a variety of spiritual traditions. We’ve started the podcast off with an excerpt from William James’ classic work The Varieties of Religious Experience in which he lectures on mystical experience. We promise many more fascinating selections from religious classics so please subscribe. Click Here to Subscribe to this Podcast on iTunes.

13. Christian Faith in a Postmodern World

Os Guinness claims that progress has lead America into a crisis of truth. For this MP3 download presented by the Veritas Forum, the noted writer leads his lecture with this provocative declaration, and explains how the nation’s notion of truth has been eroded by relative morality. Guinness provides his listeners with tools to counteract these trends and reclaim what he feels is the lost wisdom that has come about as result of the information age.

14. President’s Forum with Thich Nhat Hanh

Watch or listen to this talk delivered by Vietnamese-born Buddhist teacher, scholar, and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh delivered at the Asia Society with questions from Asia Society President Vishakha N. Desai. The 81-year-old Thich Nhat Hanh begins with a brief meditation followed by an extended talk about his life as a Buddhist monk and teacher, including his recent return trips to Vietnam. Vishakha N. Desai asks some difficult questions such as how to deal with violent terrorists like Osama bin Laden. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from FORA.tv.

15. The Heart and Soul of Christianity

In this talk presented by Cody’s Books at The First Congressional Church of Berkeley, New Testament scholar Marcus Borg and religious studies scholar Huston Smith reflect on their respective books The Heart of Christianity and The Soul of Christianity. Borg looks at what he feels are some of the core tenets of Christianity including ongoing practice and community. Huston Smith discusses the mystery of God working through Jesus as being beyond human comprehension. Borg and Smith then ask each other questions about the similarities and differences on their views of Christianity. This video of two great religious scholars is available from FORA.tv.

16. Authors@Google: Lama Surya Das

In this hour-long talk from Authors@Google, American Buddhist teacher and bestselling author Lama Surya Das gives a multifaceted discussion on Buddhism and Bodhisattvas in contemporary life. He discusses the path of overcoming ignorance and awakening to one’s true self, along with many other central teachings in Buddhism. He emphasizes that one doesn’t need to become a Buddhist or follow a creed in order to take the path to enlightenment, and that Buddhism is more of an ethical philosophy and a personal journey rather than a religion. This talk is available on streaming video from YouTube.

17. Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time

With her talk on “Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time”, Armstrong first takes on the definition of Jihad, explaining that as opposed to “Holy War”, the term more appropriately describes a “struggle” all believers must wage on their way to spiritual clarity. What’s more, she dispels the idea that Islam has always had a compulsive, violent agenda, and instead cites historical cases where Muhammad himself brought peace to Arabia by means of sit-in protest. Tracing her biography of Islam’s founder to the present day, Armstrong demonstrates that cultural forces such as encroaching secularism and modernization led to violent reactions within extremist circles that bear no resemblance to Muhammad’s original principles.

18. Keith Ward

In this streaming video released by MeaningofLife.tv, noted Oxford Divinity Professor Keith Ward discusses his argument that the three major western religions share the same God. Ward compares Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, and includes other religions within his concept of a monotheistic God whose face may change according to cultural understanding, but whose major attributes are consistent among all. This fascinating conversation goes on to touch on related topics such as self-denial, the problem of evil and how physics is making spirituality more and more compatible with science. A must for anyone interested in a modern take on religion.

19. An Hour with the Honorable Dalai Lama

Listen to this hour-long conversation with the Honorable Dalai Lama on the Charlie Rose Show. In this interview Charlie Rose talks with the Dalai Lama about the political situation in Tibet and China, and what the Dalai Lama’s hopes are for the Tibetan people. The Dalai Lama then talks about exercising compassion on a global scale and the ways in which he feels this will make the 21st century a better century than the 20th century. This talk is available on streaming video.

20. Sharon Salzberg

In this interview from MeaningOfLife.tv, cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society Sharon Salzberg talks about her spiritual path while introducing listener’s to many concepts of Buddhist practice. Host Robert Wright asks her many of the hard questions about Buddhism such as why should one focus on their own suffering and death, what is nirvana and enlightenment, and why is it important to learn to love oneself. Salzberg also talks about her idea of bright faith which lead her through many hardships in her own life. This 45-minute talk is available through Google Video as a streaming video and is offered by MeaningOfLife.tv.

21. Ann-Ping Chin: The Authentic Confucius

Watch this free video from the Asia Society featuring author Ann-Ping Chin discussing her book The Authentic Confucius: A Life of Thought and Politics. She tries to present a more human view of this religious and philosophical leader. Her research covered everything from The Analects of Confucius to modern archaeological discoveries of texts referencing Confucius. She relates many stories about Confucius and discusses one important philosophical excerpt from The Analects which confronts the relative importance of the family and the state. This video can be viewed through FORA.tv.

22. What Is Religion?

In this lecture Professor Kreeft explores what religion is and what questions it tries to answer. He goes over a brief history of philosophical definitions of religion. He feels that religion relies on faith and experience, while philosophy focuses on reason and logical argument, and yet he finds many ways that the fields of philosophy and religion have intersected throughout history.

23. A New Reformation: Creation Spirituality and the Transformation of Christianity

Controversial religious firebrand Matthew Fox details his ideas for a New Religious Reformation in this lecture delivered at Cody’s Books. When he found himself expelled from the Dominican Order by the man would become the latest pope, Matthew Fox emerged to become one of the most visible proponents of the Creation Spirituality movement. Drawing from a deep knowledge of theological history and taking Martin Luther’s example to heart, Fox envisions a modern religious shakeup that will acknowledge a more varied society while remaining true to religious truth. A must for anyone interested on how religion is coping with new 21st century challenges. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from FORA.tv.

24. San Francisco Zen Center Public Lectures Podcast

Listen to dozens public lectures given by teachers at the San Francisco Zen Center. In these lectures of varying length, teachers provide insight into their Zen practice and discuss the many facets of Buddhism. Each lecture features a different teacher and can be listened to apart from the other lectures. Enjoy these podcasts on Zen Buddhism.

25. His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama: Peace Through Compassion

In this talk, His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama addresses the campus of the University of California-Berkeley on the topic “Peace Through Compassion”. He provides advice on how we can achieve peace within the world, our communities, and ourselves. He gives examples of how inner peace can have positive effects not only on those around us, but on our own health. At the conclusion he answers some questions on the internet and nuclear weapons, along with some advice for college graduates. This streaming video is available through YouTube.




April 29, 2009

Best Author Interviews and Talks on Audio & Video

author_interviews_blog.jpgCheck out audio & video of 25 interviews and talks with top authors of contemporary literature. Have a look at LearnOutLoud’s selection of 25 contemporary literature resources, including audio & video from the top authors to emerge in the modern era. For years we’ve been keeping up with the newest free talks and author interviews, which we periodically share as part of our Free Resource of the Day Emails. In this list, you’ll find in-depth discussions with key modern literary authors, such as Margaret Atwood, Joan Didion, Garrison Keillor, Frank McCourt, Amy Tan, John Updike, Kurt Vonnegut and many more. Always keeping our eye on what’s fresh, this list also makes room for 21st century voices, such as Kite Runner author Khaled Hosseini, Modern Fantasy king Neil Gaiman, Eat, Pray, Love author Elizabeth Gilbert, and talented modern innovators like Jonathan Franzen. Get our take on the best voices in poetry, literary journalism, fiction and more by clicking any of the links below:

1. Wired for Books MP3 Page

Wired for Books is offering a page full of downloadable MP3 interviews with many of the best authors in contemporary literature. Compiled from the 1980s CBS Radio show, Book Beat, these interviews feature journalist Don Swaim spending roughly a half hour with the author discussing their books. Swaim seems to have done his research and to have read the works of the authors he interviews. The interviews seem very relaxed and off-the-cuff. Here’s a list of some of the people Swaim interviews: Douglas Adams, Maya Angelou, Isaac Asimov, Margaret Atwood, Judy Blume, Ray Bradbury, William F. Buckley, Anthony Burgess, William Burroughs, Raymond Carver, Joan Didion, E. L. Doctorow, Bret Easton Ellis, Joseph Heller, John Irving, Erica Jong, Garrison Keillor, Norman Mailer, Joyce Carol Oates, Amy Tan, Studs Turkel, John Updike, Gore Vidal, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Elie Wiesel, and hundreds more. Just click to the MP3 page and remember to download these files by right-clicking on the Download File link and selecting Save Target As… Then it will allow you to download the file to an assigned place on your computer. Enjoy.

2. In Depth: Tom Wolfe

In this streaming video from C-SPAN’s BookTV, Tom Wolfe talks about his career as writer from The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby which he wrote back in the 1960s all the way up to his latest novel I Am Charlotte Simmons which explores the college campus life in the present day. He fields call-in questions from people across the United States and tells us the secrets of his craft. Indeed, no writer today is as fun to listen to as Tom Wolfe.

3. Allen Ginsberg Poetry Readings

Allen Ginsberg’s Howl is ultimate beat poem, and what better way to experience it than listening to Ginsberg read it himself. PennSound features two recordings of Ginsberg reading Howl, one from 1956 (the year he published it) and one from 1995 (a few years before his death). PennSound also features Ginsberg reading some other of his classic beat poems like Kaddish and Wichita Vortex Sutra. All these poems are available to download on MP3.

4. The Infinite Mind Interview with Kurt Vonnegut Live from Second Life

Recently American author Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. passed away at the age of 84. Watch one of his last interviews which was conducted by John Hockenberry of The Infinite Mind series, and recorded live in the virtual on-line community called Second Life. It’s a thoroughly entertaining interview with questions from the Second Life audience and Vonnegut’s thoughts on America towards the end of his life. He also discusses his final work which is a collection of essays entitled A Man Without a Country. This streaming video is offered by Lichtenstein Creative Media and is available through Google Video.

5. An Evening with Ray Bradbury

Renowned science fiction author Ray Bradbury (Fahrenheit 451, The Martian Chronicles) gives aspiring writers some encouraging insight in this short lecture provided on streaming video by UCTV. Beginning with a list of essential practices he feels all writers should adhere to, Bradbury then demonstrates how events and people in his personal life fed his classic stories. Inspiring, funny and delivered with irreverent wisdom, Bradbury’s account of his career is a sincere argument for “writing what you know”. This talk is available on streaming video through Google Video.

6. The 20th Century on Trial: Norman Mailer

In one of Norman Mailer’s last public appearances (he passed away a few months later in November of 2007), this acclaimed author talks about his complex relationship with America. He looks back at his own literary career and offers his ideas on existentialism. Towards the end of the interview German author Gunter Grass joins him in conversation and they discuss Adolf Hitler who was the subject of Mailer’s final novel The Castle in the Forest. In this interview Mailer conveys his sharp wit and clear insights that were with him until the end. This talk was moderated by Andrew O’Hagan and conducted at the New York Public Library. It is available on streaming audio and MP3 download from FORA.tv.

7. Douglas Adams: Parrots, the Universe, and Everything

Immerse yourself into the mind of Douglas Adams. The author The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy graced the world with one final appearance just days before his tragic death from a heart attack on May 11, 2001. Delivered at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Adams discusses his own personal favorite of his books Last Chance to See about his travels to faraway lands to see firsthand many endangered animal species such as the Aye-aye lemur of Madagascar, the Komodo dragon on the island of Komodo in Indonesia, and the Yangtze River Dolphin in China. With his own hilarious insights he describes these animals and his wild travels to observe them. He ends the talk by urging humanity to envision their place in the world in a way that can sustain all species including humans. This talk is available through YouTube on streaming video and video download.

8. Joan Didion: Revelle Forum at the Neurosciences Institute

In this conversation with American writer Joan Didion, she discusses her 2001 collection of essays Political Fictions in which she explores the disconnect between the political class and the American public. She touches on many issues addressed in her book regarding the electoral process, political pundits, Clinton’s impeachment, and the election of George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. This talk was conducted at UC-San Diego and is available on streaming and downloadable video through Google Video.

9. In Depth: John Updike

In this generous 3-hour interview provided on streaming video by BookTV, John Updike talks about his life as a writer and observer of the human condition. Last week the literary world mourned the death of Updike who’s literary reputation places him among the likes of Mailer, Vonnegut and Roth as one of the great contemporary American novelists. Here you can watch him as he examines his childhood, discusses his early start with the New Yorker Magazine, and answers questions about his prolific career as an author and literary critic. This streaming video is available through the BookTV website.

10. Joyce Carol Oates: Lannan Readings & Conversations

Listen to a reading from one of America’s most versatile and prolific writers: Joyce Carol Oates. She pulls no punches in her public reading, as she reads from her novella Rape: A Love Story. Oates’ narration adds new dimension to the main character who is reflecting on being the victim of a rape. After the reading, the host from public radio’s Bookworm has a conversation with Oates about the piece and much else. Enjoy this streaming audio from the Lannan Foundation.

11. Harold Pinter – 2005 Nobel Lecture

The English playwright Harold Pinter passed away a few days ago at the age of 78. Listen to his lecture delivered upon the receipt of the 2005 Nobel Prize for Literature. In this lecture Pinter examines the truths unto which he sought after in his plays and his life as a citizen. After elaborating on his creative process, he explains the difference between art and politics and then examines America’s role in global politics since World War II. He briefly covers the past military conflicts in Latin America along with the current war in Iraq. This 45 minute lecture is available on streaming video from NoblePrize.org.

12. Meet the Poet: Nikki Giovanni

Nikki Giovanni has been publishing works of poetry in America for over 30 years. In this talk from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, she tells many stories from her life and reads from her 2002 collection of poetry Quilting the Black-Eyed Pea: Poems and Not Quite Poems. Giovanni is candid and full of humor as she tells about how Mars astronauts can learn from African slavery, how Rosa Parks actively stood up against the murder of Emmett Till when she refused to move from her bus seat, and how one should confront prejudice in contemporary society. This talk can be heard on streaming audio and video from the WGBH Forum Network.

13. In Depth: Susan Sontag

One of our favorite free video resources is the C-SPAN BookTV series In Depth. This series features 3-hour long interviews with America’s greatest and most prolific authors towards the latter part of their careers. Included in the interviews are questions from callers across the United States, that always make for interesting discussion. This free video includes the first two hours of the video interview (the last hour gets cut off) with the late author & activist Susan Sontag. She answers questions about politics, movies, and the many nonfiction & fiction books she has written throughout her career. Watch this free streaming video from BookTV.

14. Arthur C. Clarke’s 90th Birthday Reflections

Science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke recently passed away at the age of 90. In this brief video supplied by TVE Asia Pacific, Clarke reflects on his life from his home in Sri Lanka as he turned 90 in December of 2007. He considers the great achievements in space travel which he saw during his lifetime and is hopeful that space travel will be something that many can enjoy in the future. He also provides three wishes for the planet as he surpasses his 90th orbit around the sun. This video is available through YouTube.

15. Frank McCourt: Teacher Man

The author of Angela’s Ashes and ‘Tis treats us to stories of life as a public school teacher in this downloadable audio lecture released by WGBH. Writer Frank McCourt spent 30 years of his adult life teaching in the New York Public school system before later writing his acclaimed memoirs in retirement. Here he praises the teacher’s effort to help children find their footing in the world, and relates to us the trials and tribulations he faced as a young inexperienced teacher in a sometimes hostile classroom.

16. Vanity Fair’s Writers Reading Podcast

Vanity Fair’s Writers Reading Podcast features many of today’s best authors reading from their latest books. Past podcasts have featured award-winning prison journalist Wilbert Rideau read from his book In the Place of Justice, Norris Church Mailer reading from her memoir about her life with her husband Norman Mailer, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Garry Wills reading from his new book Bomb Power: The Modern Presidency and the National Security State, Jonathan Safran Foer on his first nonfiction work exploring factory farming entitled Eating Animals, and many other highly respected writers including Augusten Burroughs, Tracy Kidder, Taylor Branch, Gay Talese, Jay McInerney, and more.

17. A Remembrance of Playwright Arthur Miller

American playwright Arthur Miller was the recipient of the Pulitzer Prize and best known for his plays The Death of a Salesman and The Crucible. In this interview recorded towards the end of this life Arthur Miller sits down with Charlie Rose and discusses his life as a playwright. He also gives his thoughts on the state of theater in America today, his marriage with Marilyn Monroe, and what he feels were his greatest successes and biggest regrets. He talks about why the theater was his medium and why he never really could write novels or screenplays. It’s an interesting talk with one of America’s great playwrights.

18. Amy Tan on Creativity

In this TED Talk author Amy Tan probes into the roots of creativity or how “out of nothing comes something”. She examines her own life and the many influences that have fed into her novels. She also tells of the many fascinating coincidences that have happened to her over the years at key moments of creativity. It’s an intriguing and often humorous talk from a beloved author. This talk is available on streaming video and audio & video download.

19. Alice Walker: We Are The Ones We Have Been Waiting For

Today’s free resource is a lecture by author Alice Walker who won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1983 for her novel The Color Purple. She has written dozens of novels, poetry collections, and nonfiction books and in this talk she reads from one of her latest works We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For which is a collection of meditations and essays. In the lecture she talks about her days in the civil rights movement following Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the grieving process she had to go through after he was assassinated. Listen to some interesting stories from author Alice Walker. This talk is available on streaming audio and MP3 download from the Fourm Network (formerly the WGBH Forum Network).

20. Margaret Atwood: Lannan Readings and Conversations

With the dry wit that has come to make her a literary icon, Margaret Atwood reads selections from her work and discusses writing in this audio download released by the Lannan Foundation. At times bleak, often humorous and always probing, Atwood’s work is devoted to exploring the underbelly of modern experience, with special attention given to how the future may take shape if current dubious trends continue to their natural conclusion. While the material she presents is in some ways sobering, Atwood maintains a satirical tone that offsets it all, revealing a writer that is ultimately optimistic, self-deprecating and always searching. This event is available on streaming audio and MP3 download.

21. John Elder Robison & Augusten Burroughs: Live From B&N

In this talk offered by Barnes & Noble, Augusten Burroughs interviews his brother John Elder Robison about his memoir Look Me in the Eye. Robison’s biography covers growing up with Asperger’s Syndrome which he was diagnosed with later in life. John Elder Robison reads stories from his book and Augusten Burroughs asks him questions and provides color commentary on growing up with his elder brother. This talk is available on streaming video and audio download from Barnes & Noble Media.

22. Khaled Hosseini: A Thousand Splendid Suns

In this talk from the Book Group Expo, Khaled Hosseini, author of the bestselling novel The Kite Runner, discusses his latest work A Thousand Splendid Suns. He reads a short dramatic piece from the book and then answers questions about writing the book and about women in Afghanistan which the book explores. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download on FORA.tv.

23. Authors@Google: Neil Gaiman

Fan-favorite fantasy author Neil Gaiman regales viewers with stories of his life as a writer in this streaming video lecture provided by Authors@Google. After reading a short selection of poetry from his latest book, Gaiman talks of his latest adventures with the slightly detached and unassuming attitude of an author quick to note how lucky he feels with his own success. Here you will find out about his screenwriting duties on the newest film version of Beowulf, his views on the current renaissance in children’s literature and the difference between a comic book and a graphic novel. This video is available streaming video on YouTube.

24. Elizabeth Gilbert: A Different Way to Think About Creative Genius

Eat, Pray, Love author Elizabeth Gilbert examines the way society looks at artists and the way artists look at themselves in this TED talk. She feels that the creative people should view their work as channeling God’s creative gift to them rather than as their own personal creative genius. And she hopes such a shift might prevent some of the madness and self-destruction that occurs in so many of our modern artists. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from the TED.com website.

25. Jonathan Franzen on The Discomfort Zone

In this book reading and discussion delivered at the Miami Book Fair International, Jonathan Franzen (author of the National Book Award-winning novel The Corrections) discusses his memoir The Discomfort Zone. The book explores his childhood growing up in suburban St. Louis, and he reads a lengthy portion of the opening of the book which describes the ordeal of selling his mother’s house and the memories it sparks. The reading is followed by questions mostly which touch on the process of writing a memoir. Enjoy this humorous reading from popular author Jonathan Franzen. It is available on streaming video through FORA.tv.




April 29, 2009

Best of TED Talks

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We recently became addicted to watching and listening to talks from the TED Conference. The Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) Conference has been featuring talks from leading thinkers not only in technology, entertainment, and design, but also religion, science, literature, psychology, personal growth, and numerous other areas. Their archive currently features over 400 talks from the TED2005 conference up through TED2009. One great thing is that along with high quality streaming video of each talk, they also offer most of the talks on MP3 download so you can download them and listen to them on the go.

Here we’re showcasing 15 of the most popular TED talks which we certainly enjoyed and did some write ups on. We’ll continue adding to this Best of TED Talks list as we watch and listen to more talks that we find to be particularly excellent.

1. Jill Bolte Taylor’s Stroke of Insight

In this moving talk delivered at the TED conference, brain researcher Jill Bolte Taylor provides a first-person account of her own stroke and the experience of losing control of her bodily functions as well the functions of the left side of her brain. Instead of it being a painful or frightening experience, she said the stroke put her in a intense state of bliss and nirvana. Sharing this experience became her motivation for recovery. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from the TED.com website.

2. Malcolm Gladwell: What We Can Learn From Spaghetti Sauce

In this interesting talk delivered by bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell, he explores how the food industry went from looking for the perfect single spaghetti sauce recipe to a more diverse approach of creating a variety of spaghetti sauces to suit the desires of shoppers. He examines this trend through one of its main proponents Howard Moskowitz who used the field of psychophysics to create a variety of original sauces for Prego in the 1980s. Once this variability was proven to be successful it spread to the rest of the food industry, and Gladwell feels we are all happier for this increase in choices. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from the TED.com website.

3. Matthieu Ricard: Habits of Happiness

Biochemist turned Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard examines happiness and well-being in this TED talk. He differentiates between pleasure and happiness as pleasure if fleeting and reliant upon circumstance. He feels that true happiness is found by training the mind to be happy regardless of the situation we find ourselves in and to tap into the deeper happiness of the awareness that we are more than our fleeting emotional states. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from the TED.com website.

4. Helen Fisher: The Science of Love, and the Future of Women

In this TED talk, anthropologist Helen Fisher discusses a study she was involved in which examined the brains and biochemistry of people in love. She points out the ways in which we have evolved in order to trigger love, lust, and attachment to a mate. She also examines the changes of women’s roles in society and how she feels this will ultimately lead to the happiest marriages. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from the TED.com website.

5. Benjamin Zander on Music and Passion

Conductor Benjamin Zander shares his passion for classical music in this TED talk. While the statistics say 3% of the population are classical music lovers, Zander attempts to prove that we are all lovers of classical music. He takes listeners on a journey of what he calls one-buttock playing where the pianist is moved with the music and in turn moves the audience. He then plays a Chopin prelude and proves that nobody is tone deaf. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from the TED.com website.

6. Richard Dawkins: The Universe is Queerer Than We Can Suppose

In this mind-bending lecture from TED.com, biologist Richard Dawkins examines the universe from the standpoint of contemporary science and finds that our universe is much stranger than we are capable of supposing. He provides many examples in the biological world about how assumptions such as a rock being solid and our bodies being the same throughout our life are incorrect. Stretch your perspective with Dawkin’s case for “thinking the improbable”. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from the TED.com website.

7. Tony Robbins Asks Why We Do What We Do

Self development expert Anthony Robbins speaks at the TED Conference on what motivates people. Robbins insists that he isn’t a motivator, but instead he is out to find what motivates people and what is it that makes the difference in the quality of people’s lives. He discusses briefly the core human needs that drive people. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from the TED.com website.

8. Vilayanur Ramachandran: A Journey to the Center of Your Mind

In this TED talk, neurologist Vilayanur Ramachandran provides some neuroscientific explanations for puzzling psychological and physiological phenomena. He covers why after certain brain injuries patients cannot visually recognize their mother, how to amputated patients can overcome the pain of phantom limbs for only $3, and why certain people see colors when they look at numbers and letters. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from the TED.com website.

9. Sir Ken Robinson: Do Schools Kill Creativity?

Sir Ken Robinson gives a humorous and inspiring talk on rethinking education and its relation to creativity. He feels that education becomes increasingly narrow as students proceed through it leaving many forms of intelligence and creativity behind. In order to confront the unknown future, Robinson sees creativity as the essential component as future generations face new challenges with new ideas. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from the TED.com website.

10. Seth Godin on Standing Out

Seth Godin feels that days of status quo marketing through the television industrial complex are coming to an end. People are too busy to pay attention to the nonstop advertising of average products for average people. What grabs people’s attention is something remarkable, or rather something worth making a remark about. And their remarks spread the ideas or products to the world and make it a success. Learn about the cutting edge of spreading ideas with this talk by Seth Godin. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from the TED.com website.

11. Isabel Allende: Tales of Passion

In this TED talk, Chilean-American novelist Isabel Allende stands up for passionate feminism when confronting global issues. She feels women’s energy is needed to alleviate the suffering of women and poor people in developing countries. During the talk she tells tales of courageous women throughout the world. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from the TED.com website.

12. Barry Schwartz: The Paradox of Choice

Barry Schwartz, author of The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less, discusses some of the observations he makes in his book in this talk from the TED conference. He argues that the vast explosion of choices in advanced capitalist societies has led to increased paralysis in terms of decision making and ultimately decreased satisfaction. He provides a number of examples to back up his thesis that more choice and individual freedom is not always best. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from the TED.com website.

13. Elizabeth Gilbert: A Different Way to Think About Creative Genius

Eat, Pray, Love author Elizabeth Gilbert examines the way society looks at artists and the way artists look at themselves in this TED talk. She feels that the creative people should view their work as channeling God’s creative gift to them rather than as their own personal creative genius. And she hopes such a shift might prevent some of the madness and self-destruction that occurs in so many of our modern artists. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from the TED.com website.

14. Brian Greene on String Theory

Try wrapping your mind around string theory with this TED talk delivered by physicist Brian Greene. He starts the talk with the story of the German mathematician and physicist Theodor Kaluza who proposed that the universe might have more dimensions than the three-dimensional space apparent in of the physical world. This led much later to the attempt at discovering a unified theory through string theory and superstring theory which proposes 10 dimensions. Brian Greene ends the talk with describing some experiments which are being conducted that could lead to proving the existence of other dimensions. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from the TED.com website.

15. Dan Gilbert: Why Are We Happy? Why Aren’t We Happy?

Check out this TED talk from Harvard psychologist and the author of Stumbling on Happiness, Dan Gilbert. Gilbert provides info from studies that reveal that what we often think will make us happy is the opposite of the case. He shows that because we have the ability to consider the future, we are much better prepared for the results and can usually be happy regardless. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download from the TED.com website.

And here are 30 other talks we’ve added to our site which look interesting. Almost all of them are available on MP3 download through TED.com site. Check them out:

Al Gore: 15 Ways to Avert a Climate Crisis

Al Gore: New Thinking on the Climate Crisis

Amy Tan on Creativity

Aubrey de Grey Says We Can Avoid Aging

Bill Clinton on Rebuilding Rwanda

Bill Gates: How I’m Trying to Change the World Now

Billy Graham: Technology, Faith and Human Shortcomings

Bono’s Call To Action For Africa

Chris Anderson: Technology’s Long Tail

Daniel Goleman: Why Aren’t We All Good Samaritans?

Dave Eggers’ Wish: Once Upon a School

Doris Kearns Goodwin on Learning from Past Presidents

Dr. Dean Ornish on Healing

E.O. Wilson on Saving Life on Earth

James Watson on How He Discovered DNA

Jane Goodall on What Separates Us From the Apes

Jeff Bezos on the Next Web Innovation

Jimmy Wales on the Birth of Wikipedia

John Wooden on True Success

Karen Armstrong’s Wish: Charter for Compassion

Martin Seligman on Positive Psychology

Michael Pollan Gives a Plant’s-Eye View

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi on Flow

Ray Kurzweil on How Technology Will Transform Us

Richard Dawkins on Militant Atheism

Rick Warren: Living a Life of Purpose

Robert Wright: How Cooperation (Eventually) Trumps Conflict

Stephen Hawking Asks Big Questions About the Universe

Steven Levitt Analyzes Crack Economics

Steven Pinker on the Myth of Violence

You can always browse all the TED talks on the TED site right here:

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks




April 24, 2009

Best Free History Audio & Video

Listen and learn about World History with more than 25 titles from LearnOutLoud’s Free Resource of the Day Emails. From these emails, we’ve whittled it down to the best of the bunch, with great lectures, overviews covering topics such as the Roman Era, World Military History, Napoleon’s Rise and Fall, British History, and the Revolutions that rocked both America and France. Historians featured here include Doris Kearns Goodwin on Lincoln, David McCullough on the founding fathers, Robert Dallek on the modern Presidents, Christopher Hitchens on World War II and many more. Click below to get started on this historical treasure trove:

1. History According to Bob Podcast

For over a year, Bob Packett has serviced the world with his podcast, History According to Bob. This retired history professor operating out of Kansas explores a large canvas – from the smallest historical artifacts to decade-spanning cultural upheaval- with the sort of down-home, approachable style that is the earmark of a great teacher.

2. The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin

In this inspiring conversation released on digital download by WGBH, Pulitzer prize-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin talks about Abraham Lincoln, the success of his presidency, and the men that made up his cabinet. Kearns discusses her take on Lincoln’s thought processes, what led him to make hard decisions, and why this soft spoken, physically gangly man was ultimately able to command the respect of a nation. Kearns speaks of her subject like she would a friend and gives equal attention to Lincoln’s cabinet, a group of one-time rivals that would later become committed loyalists at a time when the country needed his singular leadership. This lecture is available on MP3 download as well as streaming audio and video.

3. 12 Byzantine Rulers: The History of The Byzantine Empire Podcast

With the History of the Byzantine Empire Podcast, Lars Brownworth examines the 12 rulers that have come to represent a unique era in Roman history; a period marked by decline. With an excellent handle on the subject and concise delivery, Brownsworth devotes each episode to an Emperor; describing the man, how he came to power, how he ruled, and what his legacy was thereafter. When taken as a whole, each bite-sized character profile tells the overall story of the Roman Empire as it struggled to survive during the middle ages.

4. David McCullough’s Biography of a Year: 1776

In this lecture from the Cambridge Forum David McCullough delivers anecdotes from his bestselling American history work “1776”. McCullough expresses how remarkable of a story this year in American history was and draws us in with details from the comprehensive research he conducted on this era. At the end of the lecture he answers a number of questions from the audience. This lecture is offered online from the WGBH Forum Network and is available on streaming audio and video as well as MP3 download.

5. History of the United States, Volume 1

History of the United States, Volume 2

History of the United States, Volume 3

History of the United States, Volume 4

History of the United States, Volume 5

Download the first 5 volumes of the History of the United States by Charles Austin Beard and Mary Ritter Beard. As stated in the preface, this book is for mature students of American history and it does not contain the mini-biographies and dramatic battle descriptions often contained in histories for younger audiences. It examines major trends in economics, politics, religion, and other social institutions that characterized the development of the United States. Volume 1 examines the Colonial period, Volume 2 looks at the American Revolution, Volume 3 covers the U.S. Constitution, and Volume 4 examines the settling of the West and Jacksonian Democracy, and Volume 5 covers Sectional Conflict including The Civil War and Reconstruction. This audio book was recorded by the volunteers at LibriVox. Currently Volumes 6 & 7 are in works and we’ll feature those when they are completed. You can download Volumes 1-5 from LibriVox.org on MP3.

6. At Canaan’s Edge by Taylor Branch

In this downloadable lecture presented by the WGBH Forum Network, historian Taylor Branch introduces us to the major players and events that shaped the modern Civil Rights movement. Branch takes great pains to identify some of the unsung heroes of the cause; people that were as instrumental in pushing the movement forward as higher profile names like Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch feels this area of history is woefully unexamined, and demonstrates to listeners how vital it was within the greater fabric of social upheaval that rocked the 60’s.

7. Crash Course on Jewish History by Rabbi Ken Spiro

This is a free course on Jewish History from a Jewish perspective taught by Rabbi Ken Spiro. In over 30 lectures, Spiro covers everything from Abraham to modern Israel always pointing out the lessons that Jews can learn from their history. All the lectures are free to listen to on streaming audio and many of them are free to download on MP3 from SimpleToRemember.com.

8. War and Democracy in the Ancient and Contemporary Middle East by Victor Davis Hanson

In this streaming video lecture from UCTV, military historian Victor Davis Hanson steps back from the current conflicts in the Middle East and examines them from the perspective of classical conceptions of war. He displays his encyclopedic knowledge of military conflicts throughout history and provides many thought-provoking reflections on the current state of affairs in Iraq, Israel, and the rest of the Middle East. This lecture is offered through YouTube on streaming video.

9. Hardcore History Podcast by Dan Carlin

In his own irreverent style Dan Carlin attacks the historical record in the Hardcore History Podcast. Each month, Carlin selects a different topic or person in history, spanning from the ancient to the present depending upon his mood, and brings his humorous and sometimes provocative opinion to bear on it. The editorial tone Carlin takes is usually funny, and while some of what he argues is controversial, his command of the subject can never be questioned.

10. Andrew Jackson by H.W. Brands

In this lecture from the Miller Center of Public Affairs, H.W. Brands lectures on his latest book Andrew Jackson: His Life and Times. Professor Brands focuses on the way that American public opinion regarding Andrew Jackson has changed since Jackson was thought of as “the hero” of his day to his demonization in contemporary America for his policies such as Indian removal. Brands probes deeper into the character of Jackson, pointing out his admirable qualities and crediting Jackson for twice saving the Union. This lecture is available on MP3 download.

11. Napoleon 101 Podcast

Set up like a college course, the Napoleon 101 podcast is a valuable introduction to the life and exploits of Napoleon Bonaparte. Hosts David Markham and Cameron Reilly bring to the table a lifelong fascination with France’s legendary 17th century leader, imparting the nitty gritty details of his life with rare enthusiasm. With this indepth overview you can finally learn who Napoleon was, what he tried to do, what he accomplished and why his character has fascinated historians for almost 200 years.

12. American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation

Newsweek editor and historian Jon Beacham discusses America’s historical treatment of religion in this lecture provided by The Miller Center of Public Affairs. The author notes that the founding fathers were deeply aware of how many great nations fell apart due to religious sectionalism. In an effort to mitigate this problem and yet allow everyone in the country the freedom to worship, Beacham traces how giants like Jefferson, Franklin and even Lincoln implemented decisive policies on American religious life that we still argue over today. This talk is available on MP3 download and streaming audio and video.

14. Jared Diamond – Collapse

In this streaming video lecture recorded at UC- Santa Barbara, Dr. Jared Diamond delivers an entertaining lecture around the subject of his bestselling book Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. As a historian with serious concern for how civilization can learn from its past catastrophes, Diamond provides many insights into the reasons societies have failed along with lessons that we can apply to our current dilemmas in the hopes of avoiding such a fate. This streaming video is offered by UCTV.

15. Jamestown and Virginia (1607) by Sherwin T. Wine

Download this free lecture delivered by Sherwin T. Wine on the founding of Jamestown in 1607. Find out the reasons for Europeans founding America, and how the English settlers eventually succeeded in founding Jamestown. Sherwin T. Wine keeps the lecture entertaining, covering a lot of history in an hour and a half. This lecture has been made available by the Center For New Thinking on MP3 download through LearnOutLoud.com.

16. The History of Rome Podcast

The History of Rome Podcast is a chronological attempt to trace the rise, decline and fall of the Roman Empire. Starting with Rome’s founding by the mythical twins Romulus and Remus, this series hosted by Mike Duncan is an ongoing account of the people and events that shaped the western world. A must for any student of history and an invaluable resource for anyone that needs a ground level survey of the Roman Republic.

17. Dave Barry’s History of the Millennium (So Far)

Humorist and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Dave Barry brings light to his latest book Dave Barry’s History of the Millennium (So Far). Barry quips about the events of the past 8 years, many of which have been forgotten. He talks about his nationally syndicated column which he wrote for the The Miami Herald from 1983 to 2005, and why he chose to stop doing it. It’s an entertaining talk from one of America’s bestelling humor writers. This talk was delivered at the Politics and Prose Bookstore and is available streaming audio and MP3 download from FORA.tv.

18. The History Network Podcast

The great military achievements of history and the colorful people that made it happen are given critical analysis in the History Network Podcast. Here qualified narrators examine the ancient battles, strategic innovations, brilliant commanders and major blunders that have set the course of history. Whether it be about the Battle of Thermopylae or the life of General Patton, this is one podcast the military buff should not miss.

19. When Nixon Met Mao

In this lecture delivered at the World Affairs Council of Northern California, historian Margaret MacMillan discusses Richard Nixon’s historic visit to China in 1972. In what she describes as a watershed moment in a long history of barely veiled antagonism between China and the western world, we see how various economic and geopolitical forces made a reconciliation unavoidable. In this crucial period of relaxed tension, China began its advancement to the modern world stage; an achievement presided over by a president with an otherwise tarnished political legacy. This talk is available on audio download and streaming video through FORA.tv.

20. British History 101 Podcast

The British History Podcast by Michael Anthony is dedicated to the anglophile in everyone. Designed as a basic to intermediate overview, this podcast examines the battles, monarchs, trivia and lasting cultural influences of one of the most enduring nations on the globe. Whether you wish to learn about events like the Battle of Hastings, people such as Winston Churchill or places like the Tower of London, this show will examine it all with rare enthusiasm.

21. Understanding the French Revolution

In this lecture esteemed professor Donald M.G. Sutherland sets out to define revolution and how the French Revolution has in turn changed the definition of revolution. He then examines a number of the proposed causes of the French Revolution that have been debated since then. He concludes that no one could’ve predicted in summer of 1789 that in a few years King Louis XVI would be executed, over 16,000 people would be killed by the guillotine during the Reign of Terror, and that a military officer named Napoleon Bonaparte would rise to become the dictator and emperor of France.

22. Authors@Google: Jon Meacham

Pulitzer Prize winners were announced yesterday and author Jon Meacham won in the Biography category for his book American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House. In this lecture provided on streaming video by the @Google Talks, historian and Newsweek editor Jon Meacham picks apart the mixed legacy of President Andrew Jackson. Over the years, the 7th U.S. President has come under fire for his treatment of Native Americans, conduct that has not aged well in modern times. Meacham does not downplay the negative aspects of Jackson’s presidency, but he does make claims for Jackson’s innovations, not the least of which is his instrumental role in shaping the modern Democratic Party. This lecture is available on streaming video through YouTube.

23. Hiroshima and the Origins of the Cold War

In this lecture professor David Painter discusses the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August of 1945 during the World War II. Professor Painter establishes how the groundwork for nuclear warfare was established by President Franklin Roosevelt. He then provides reasons why the new President Harry Truman decided to use nuclear weapons against Japan, and provides some criticisms that have been brought forward since then which argue that dropping the atomic bomb was not necessary and was not for the purpose of winning the war against Japan. In the aftermath of dropping the bomb, professor Painter shows how it created the origins of what would come to be known as the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union.

24. Uncommon Knowledge: Hitchens and Hanson on World War II

For Veteran’s Day we’re featuring this special World War II free resource. In the wake of recent revisionist takes that cast a negative light on World War II, Peter Robinson joins guests Christopher Hitchens and Victor Davis Hanson to provide a counter argument in this Uncommon Knowledge show released by the Hoover Institution. Hitchens and Hanson, both respected historians and journalists, address Churchill’s role in every stage of the war, whether or not the holocaust was a byproduct of the conflict, and if war itself was just. Both bring incredible scholarship to the discussion, drawing from deep personal knowledge in an effort to dispel any notion that war was avoidable in 1939. This talk is available on streaming video and MP3 download through FORA.tv.

25. Teddy Roosevelt

This is the first lecture from the Modern Scholar course The American Presidency taught by Professor Robert Dallek. In this first lecture in a series touching on how the U.S. Presidency changed during the 20th century, noted historian Robert Dallek begins with his take on Theodore Roosevelt. In this concise biographical sketch, Dallek describes Roosevelt as the great president that arrived at the turn of the century, painting the portrait of a charismatic visionary that cast a long shadow on his successor, President William H. Taft. In this introduction, Dallek develops themes that run throughout the course, providing students with an unparalleled view of how modern America was shaped by the men that led it.

We’ve been sending out our Free Resource of the Day Emails for many years now. If you’ve not subscribed yet, we highly encourage you to do so.




April 9, 2009

Free Christian Audio

free_christian_audio_blog.jpg From the Bible on audio to the lectures and podcasts from today’s leading Christian thinkers, speakers, and authors, we’ve assembled this list of 25 of the top free Christian audio resources available from our Free Resource of the Day Emails. Below you’ll find free audio & video programs that explore all aspects of Christian Living, with plenty of Sermons, debates and biographical overviews to both enrich your faith and help you learn more about Christianity’s rich history. Interested in the historical Jesus? Need to know more about Thomas Aquinas? How about inspiration from Saint Francis? We have it here! Finally, to give an accurate picture of how Christianity is interacting with the modern world, we’ve included contemporary names such as Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer and Rick Warren, along with people like Dallas Willard and Brian McLaren to round out a selection of modern Christian philosophy. We hope you find plenty of spiritual food for thought with the audio and video programs listed below:

1. christianaudio’s Free Audiobook of the Month

Each month christianaudio.com offers a professionally recorded Christian audio book for free! All that is required is that you register for an account and enter in their coupon code. In the past they’ve featured free audio books such as G.K. Chesterton’s Orthodoxy, Tolstoy’s Father Sergius and Other Short Stories, Interior Castle by Saint Teresa of Avila, Paradise Lost by John Milton, The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan. We encourage you to visit the christianaudio.com website for more thoughtful Christian audio books and a lot of other freebies as well!

2. 1 Year Daily Audio Bible Podcast

This podcast will take you through the entire Bible in 365 separate podcasts to be listened to over the next year. Each podcast is read by Nashville, TN based record producer Brian Hardin. Instead of going through the Bible chronologically, he selects four different passages for each podcast, which go through books of the Old and New Testament simultaneously, along with a Proverb and a Psalm. If you’d like to read the Bible more, but can’t find the time of day, then try listening to the entire Bible in one year with the Bible In a Year Podcast.

3. The Veritas Forum Podcast

The Veritas Forum podcast collects various lectures from leading thinkers within the modern Christian community. Here you will listen to lectures on topics such as Science v. Religion, the existence of God, Intelligent Design, and much more. The speakers highlighted in this podcast foster dialogue over rhetoric in an effort to not only reconcile their faith with an ever changing landscape, but to also show why it is still an essential aspect of 21st century life.

4. Joel Osteen Audio Podcast

One of the most popular podcasts on our site is Joel Osteen’s Audio Podcast. Joel Osteen is the pastor of Lakewood Church, the nation’s largest and fastest growing church in the nation. Pastor Osteen is also the author of the bestselling book Your Best Life Now along with numerous other inspirational audio books. Each week on the podcast Pastor Osteen delivers a half-hour sermon and this week’s sermon is entitled “Investing in People”. Enjoy this podcast from Joel Osteen.

5. Billy Graham Sermons

Listen to the powerful preaching of the Reverend Billy Graham. Since his ministry began in the 1940s, Billy Graham has remained one of America’s leading Christian evangelists, and at the age of 91 he has now been a spiritual adviser to twelve United States presidents. BillyGraham.org features many sermons presented on audio & video delivered by Billy Graham from the 1950s to the present day. In these sermons Rev. Graham covers many aspects of Christian living with the focus always being on the gospel of Jesus Christ. Listen to or watch some sermons by the Reverend Billy Graham today.

6. The Genius of Jesus

In this lecture from the Veritas Forum, Christian philosopher and author Dallas Willard talks about the importance of Jesus of Nazareth throughout history when it comes to confronting the reality of existence. Willard feels that present-day universities apply a materialistic knowledge or a New Age philosophy when it comes to confronting moral life, which leaves out the essential teachings of Jesus. He posits four great questions of existence and explains the answers which Jesus gave to these questions. This lecture is available on streaming audio and MP3 download from the Veritas forum.

7. SermonIndex Classics Podcast

Listen to these podcasts from SermonIndex. These podcasts cover many aspects of Christianity and Christian Living, including sermons from Jim Cymbala, David Wilkerson, Zac Poonen, Keith Green, A.W. Tozer, Duncan Campbell, Ian Paisley, Leonard Ravenhill, and many other popular preachers from throughout the 20th century. For more free classic sermons check out the offerings we feature from SermonAudio.com.

8. The King James Version Bible

The Bible is the #1 selling book of all time. If you’ve been wanting to listen to an audio version the good folks at Audio Treasure would like to treat you to a free one. You can listen on their website or download to put on your mp3 player. It’s great for moments when you need a little inspiration!

9. Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Legacy

In this program of Speaking of Faith, host Krista Tippett talks with producer Martin Doblmeier, whose 2003 documentary covered Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life and thought. Doblmeier tells the story of the German Lutheran pastor and theologian, as Bonhoeffer made difficult decisions in his opposition to Nazism and his attempts to assassinate Adolf Hitler. This program also explores Bonhoeffer’s faith and theology including a discussion of his work Letters and Papers from Prison, which Bonhoeffer wrote from the point of his arrest in 1943 until his execution by the Gestapo in 1945. This talk can be downloaded on MP3 from the Speaking of Faith website or through iTunes U.

10. The Prayer of St. Francis

Listen to this moving prayer by St. Francis of Assisi. In his short, yet profound prayer, St. Francis asks God to make him an instrument of peace and love, acknowledging that it is in giving that we receive. This prayer is read by Brian Johnson and can be listened to on MP3 download or streaming audio through LearnOutLoud.com.

11. Christian Faith in a Postmodern World

Os Guinness claims that progress has lead America into a crisis of truth. For this MP3 download presented by the Veritas Forum, the noted writer leads his lecture with this provocative declaration, and explains how the nation’s notion of truth has been eroded by relative morality. Guinness provides his listeners with tools to counteract these trends and reclaim what he feels is the lost wisdom that has come about as result of the information age.

12. The Words of Christ: From the Book of Matthew

This audio book, released by ThoughtAudio.com isolates everything uttered by Christ in the gospel according to Matthew. Extracted from the narrative of the Bible, Christ’s message is distilled to its core values. Simple in its language yet still potent in its ever-present challenge to humanity, this is as unfiltered of a view of the gospel as one might ever find. This recording is a wonderful opportunity to engage with the gospel from a new point of view. This audio book is available to download in multiple MP3 segments.

13. Proverbs Podcast

For some wisdom to start off the week try our latest podcast called the Proverbs Podcast. It will feature proverbs from various cultures and traditions offering practical wisdom from throughout the world. We’re starting the podcast with chapters from the biblical Book of Proverbs, and we’ve currently podcasts the first three chapters. Please subscribe to this podcast through iTunes for more proverbial wisdom offered up by LearnOutLoud.com.

14. The Heart and Soul of Christianity

In this talk presented by Cody’s Books at The First Congressional Church of Berkeley, New Testament scholar Marcus Borg and religious studies scholar Huston Smith reflect on their respective books The Heart of Christianity and The Soul of Christianity. Borg looks at what he feels are some of the core tenets of Christianity including ongoing practice and community. Huston Smith discusses the mystery of God working through Jesus as being beyond human comprehension. Borg and Smith then ask each other questions about the similarities and differences on their views of Christianity. This video of two great religious scholars is available from FORA.tv.

15. Apologetics.com Weekly Radio Show Podcast

The Apologetics.com Podcast is a weekly show dedicated to informing Christians on techniques that will help them to better defend their faith. Over the last few years, avowed Christian John Snyder has discussed his differences with Bob, a self-declared atheist. A great example of the Apologetics.com mission in action, these podcasts are a must for anyone that is looking for cogent discussion on the articles of faith.

16. Nietzsche v. Jesus Christ

In this lecture delivered at Stanford University philosophy professor and Christian author Dallas Willard looks at the ideas of Friedrich Nietzsche and Jesus Christ in relation to our current worldview. He summarizes some of the core ideas of Nietzsche such as the death of God and the will to power and how they were exemplary of the trends in philosophy in the late 19th century. He contrasts Nietzsche’s thinking with the ideas of objective truth and the existence of a world created by God which have been the tradition of Christian thinking. He posits that no individual has ever found fulfillment through the practice of Nietzsche’s will to power and encourages listeners to take seriously the intellectual ideas of Jesus and find out if their truth applies to reality. This talk is available on streaming and downloadable audio & video from the Veritas Forum. To download the audio or video you must create an account on the Veritas Forum website.

17. Rick Warren’s Ministry Podcast

Listen to author & pastor Rick Warren talk with other pastors from around the world about Christian leadership principles. Rick Warren is the author of the book The Purpose-Driven Life and the founder of Saddleback Church in Southern California which has over 20,000 members. In this podcast Warren seeks to address common issues which pastors face in their ministry and asks other pastors with thriving churches how they deal with such issues. It’s a good podcast for leaders in any field.

18. Why Should Anyone Believe Anything at All?

In this digital download released by the Veritas Forum, Christian thinker James W. Sire explains why belief is central to human existence. He argues provacatively that belief is so fundamental to how we interact with reality, that it makes the distinction between religion and science a moot point. Sire then traces how we are taught to believe at an early age and how in adulthood that early exposure to a system can change, grow and help form what we become.

19. The Forum at Grace Cathedral Podcast

San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral has long hosted a series of Forum discussions with special guests that are on the cutting edge of faith-based work. Grace’s current Dean, Jane Shaw, hosts guests on a wide range of topics, with a current emphasis placed on how the arts have impacted our understanding of the nature of God. Recent talks have tackled the current state of interfaith relations, the history of religious architecture, the meaning of money, music’s role in spiritual expression, and the question of where religion is headed as humanity dives into an increasingly pluralistic modern world. Always thought-provoking, Shaw and her guests take on each topic with a welcoming, inquisitive spirit that invites everyone into the discussion at hand. Guests currently on the feed include Michael Pollan, Sandra Day O’Connor, Dinesh D’Souza, T.C. Boyle, Matthew Fox, Elaine Pagels, Rob Bell, Jim Wallis, and many other distinguished guests.

20. Joyce Meyer Radio Podcast

Listen to Christian author and speaker Joyce Meyer deliver talks from her TV & radio ministry. In the latest talk, she gives an inspiring message about the importance of serving others in order to overcome selfish problems. She draws from the Bible to support her belief that to enjoy life, one must actively serve others who are less fortunate.

21. A Brief Biography of Thomas Aquinas

In this introductory lecture to the course Philosophy of Thomas Aquinas, Professor Peter Kreeft provides a brief biography of a theological titan. Kreeft views Aquinas’ prolific body of work as an important bridge between Greek philosophy and the early western philosophers such as Descartes. Seeing no division between Faith and Reason, Kreeft describes Aquinas as a quintessential truthseeker who was willing to take from secular and religious sources alike in the formation of an inclusive philosophy that is still vibrant and alive to this day.

22. FaithWords Podcast

FaithWords is a Christian audio publisher which publishes numerous bestselling Christian authors including Philip Yancey, Joyce Meyer, and Joel Osteen. In the FaithWords podcast they feature interviews with authors of different books published by FaithWords. On the Nov. 4th, 2008 podcast episode they feature an hour-long interview with William P. Young, author of the bestselling faith-building fictional work The Shack. William P. Young talks about experiences in his own life which inspired him to write The Shack and about how a book that he wrote for his family while working three jobs has now gone on to sell 15 million copies and inspire people worldwide. Also on the podcast you can hear interviews with Joyce Meyer, Philip Yancey, Karen Kingsbury, and numerous other Christian authors. Enjoy this podcast from FaithWords.

23. Quick History of Christianity from Jesus to the Crusades

If you’re curious about the Crusades, this lecture from professor Thomas F. Madden sets the stage for what became a 400 year war between Christians and Muslims over the Holy Land and between competing sects within these religious ideologies. This lecture focuses on the history of Christianity from its humble beginnings to its rise to prominence in the Roman Empire with the conversion of the Emperor Constantine, the development of the Papacy, and the formation of the Byzantine Empire. It’s an informative lecture covering a lot of Christian history from the time of Christ to the start of the First Crusade in the 11th century.

24. The Scandalous Gospel of Jesus

In this talk Harvard Memorial Church pastor Peter Gomes discusses his book The Scandalous Gospel of Jesus at the Tattered Cover bookstore. He states that the title The Scandalous Gospel of Jesus was actually not his title but rather the title demanded by the publisher Harper to sell more books. The book is actually about Christians getting to the Good News of Jesus and his hopeful message, and beyond the doctrinal and biblical disputes that Pastor Gomes feels are prevalent in Christianity today. He sees that so much of Christianity today is caught up in nostalgia over the past and isn’t looking towards the hopeful good news that Christ proclaimed. This talk is available on MP3 download and streaming video from FORA.tv.

25. What Does It Mean To Be Human?

Start off your week with some perspective from philosophy professor & Christian author Dallas Willard as he attempts to explain “What Does It Mean To Be Human?”. In his authoritative style, Dallas Willard clarifies the core tenants that make a healthy human being tick in this downloadable audio lecture released by the Veritas Forum. Willard explores the ever-changing cultural currents that have led to our current identification of self in the 21st century; a series of trends that he feels have done more harm than good. It is his belief that a God-centered need for love and knowledge is being lost in a society that puts a premium on desire. Always insightful and frequently controversial, Willard’s lectures offer cogent arguments that cut through the dogma in order to define religion’s role in the modern world. This lecture is available on MP3 Download and streaming audio.




October 7, 2006

The TEDTalks Rock!

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The TEDTalks rock! I blogged about this before but it’s worth mentioning again because the awesome folks over at the TED conference just keep putting more content up on the TEDTalks podcast feed. I’ve been listening to a bunch of these lately and just about each and every one blows me away. Like the 19-year-old Princeton student who has. Or the British biogeretologist who thinks that one day in the not-too-distant future humans might live to be 1,000. Fascinating stuff…

If you haven’t taken a listen to the TEDTalks yet I’d highly recommend it. Kudos to everyone who has been involved with making them available on the net (for free!). Each one of these talks has the potential to spark ideas that will change the world.




June 28, 2006

TED Talks – Very Cool!

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Back in January I blogged about how I’d like to see the sessions from the TED Conference made available on audio and video. Chris Anderson, the Editor of Wired magazine and the Curator of the TED Conference, saw my blog and let me know that they had some exciting plans in the works to make some of the content publicly available.

Today I noticed that a half-dozen of the sessions from the TED Conference are now available for free on audio and video. I just got done watching the session with Tony Robbins and it’s really good stuff. People pay over $4,000 to attend the TED Conference so the fact that they are willing to make this content available to people who can’t go says volumes about what the TED Conference is all about.

Kudos to Chris and the rest of the people at TED for helping to bring the ideas from the TED Conference to the world and in the process helping to change the world. It’s an incredible world we live anyone with a PC and an Internet connection can now access all this amazing content.




March 5, 2006

“All Marketers are Liars” – Seth Godin speaks at Google

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Cool. We need more of this type of stuff available online. 🙂

“All Marketers are Liars” – Seth Godin speaks at Google




January 28, 2006

My Goal? To Bring TED to You

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Twice a year there’s an amazing conference called the that takes place. It’s an astounding collection of people and speakers. In the past it has featured such speakers as Bill Gates, Larry Ellison, Frank Gehry, Jane Goodall, Billy Graham. Here’s a short introduction. And here’s a list of just a few of the people who will be speaking this year:

Nicholas Negroponte – Founder and Director of MIT’s Media Lab
Al Gore – Former Vice President
Tony Robbins – Motivational Speaker Extraordinaire
Rick Warren – Author of Mega-Best Seller The Purpose-Driven Life
Bill Joy – Co-Founder of Sun Microsystem

It’s an amazing line-up. I love everything about it. And plan to attend one day.

But here’s the problem with the TED Conference. They cap registrations for each conference at about 1,000 people and it costs $4,400 to attend. And while I totally understand why it’s so expensive and exclusive the fact of the matter is that it leaves the other 6.5 billion of us out in the cold.

What do I propose?

Record the TED conference on digital audio and high-definition video and give it away for free.

Crazy you say? Yup, just crazy enough that it might work. It’s one of those ridiculous goals that I think would get a lot of people fired up.

But wouldn’t this destroy the market for TED tickets? Nope, it would work just the opposite. The Super Bowl is televised for free. Does that prevent people from paying a ton of money to go to the game? Hardly. Music from the most popular rock stars can be found for free on all the file sharing sites. What’s happened to the demand for tickets to rock and roll shows?

Consistently throughout time it’s been shown that when you give content that has a corresponding live event the demand for the live event almost always increases. My guess is that if you gave away the audio and video from TED you’d find that you could command $10,000 or more for a ticket due to the increased popularity and buzz that the conference would receive.

And imagine the difference it would make in the world.

Imagine firing up a speech from James Watson (you know, the guy who discovered the structure of DNA) or Craig Venter (the guy who mapped the human genome) on your way into work in the morning. Or sinking into your couch after a long day and watching a presentation from Jimmy Wales (The Founder of Wikipedia), Steven Levitt (Author of Freakonomics) or Bono (actually you can do that last one here). All past TED speakers. All with a mission to push the world forward.

Can you imagine a child in Africa being able to sit down in front of a computer and learning from all these people? Or a person in the midst of sorrow or depression being so inspired by these intellectual and philosphical giants that they decide to change their lives for the better? It’s possible. More than that, it’s necessary.

We need millions of people tuning into TED in the morning on the way to work instead of Howard Stern.

We need those same people replacing some of their daily diet of mind-numbing television programming with TED or something like it.

TED represents the best of what’s out there when it comes to content.

And sadly only 1,000 people will experience that next month.

I want to change that. Help me in my goal to bring TED to the masses. Send an e-mail to tedfeedback@macromedia.com (the only e-mail that I have for them, if you’ve got a better one let me know!). Join in on a conversation about this over at or in our forums (link below). Or drop me an e-mail at jon@learnoutloud.com and tell me how you think we can do this.

The impact this could have is tremendous. The technology is ready and willing to make this a reality. The need for this type of infomration to be disseminated to the world is real.

Let’s make this happen.