Never stop learning

I'm an autodidact (my whole family is, really), but I don't like to have to take exams, write papers, or attend classes in the evenings...or, heck, even leave the house. My favorite ways to learn are by reading - of course - and by watching The Great Courses lecture series.

Unfortunately, as good as our library is, it doesn't have most of the courses that we want. Here are all the classes that we have:

some of those on the left hand end are free DVDs from Howard Hughes Medical Institute

I recommend nearly all of the classes, in particular the ones about physics (classical, quantum and particle) by Sean Carroll, Richard Wolfson, and Benjamin Schumacher, "Understanding the Human Body" by Anthony Goodman, and "The Fall and Rise of China" by Richard Baum.

Have you ever watched The Great Courses DVDs before? If so, which one(s)?

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." ~ Douglas Adams

A lesson in neuropsychology

It's not always fun and games around here, you know; sometimes, you have to learn something. Oh, who am I kidding: learning IS fun and games and it's the best part of being alive! I have to read about at least one new thing a day (and why I keep trying to pick up new hobbies like some people pick up stray animals...it beats picking up bad habits).

So, today, I'm going to share a couple of interesting links with you. And I'm compelled to do it because people harbor false "facts," e.g. humans only use 10% of their brains (WRONG!).

Another myth that gets perpetuated is one about a person being either left-brain/right brain. So, if you're one of those who believe this, head over to NeuroLogica's blog and read why it's not true.

I guess part of the problem is that our brains aren't very reliable.

For a fun course about memory, what it is (and it's not a single, specific thing), what our misconceptions are about it, and how to improve it, I highly recommend The Great Course's series, "Memory and the Human Lifespan."

Okay, that's the lesson for the day; now go and have a great week! :)

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." ~ Douglas Adams

My Favorite Scene - an entire book

We're (the whole family) watching a DVD lecture series called "The Human Body: Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology" from The Great Courses. It's been 30 years since I took biology at university and it wasn't like we covered the human body in detail, so I'm enjoying learning about this topic, as is the rest of the family.

While watching it, the section on the nervous system reminded me of a course I'd taken back at U called, I think, "Brain and Behavior." The textbook for the course was one of my favorites, and I'm going to share that with you today.

What was your favorite class in school (high school, university, college, etc.)?

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." ~ Douglas Adams