HUMANITIES
WHAT IS FREEDOM OF THE WILL? DO WE HAVE IT?
Higham Hall College Bassenthwaite Lake, Cockermouth, Cumbria, United KingdomMost people believe that they have freedom of the will. Philosophers, however, disagree over whether or not this belief is correct. In this short course, we will consider religious, scientific, ethical and literary views concerning what freedom of the will might be and decide for ourselves whether or not any of these present a compelling case for freedom.
EXPLORING ANCIENT IDENTITIES TODAY: THE IRON AGE AND ROMAN PAST IN THE PRESENT
Higham Hall College Bassenthwaite Lake, Cockermouth, Cumbria, United KingdomWhat did the Romans really do for us? And were the ‘Ancient Brits’ really a savage bunch covered in blue paint? Where do our ideas of the past originate, and how do they colour the way we think today? Recent research has highlighted the way that perceptions of the ancient past can be used in
HOLLYWOOD’S VIEW OF AMERICAN HISTORY 1914-1980
Higham Hall College Bassenthwaite Lake, Cockermouth, Cumbria, United KingdomThis course looks at Hollywood movies and extracts from them the history of the times in which they were made. While films such as Mr Smith Goes to Washington (1939), The Grapes of Wrath (1940) or On The Waterfront (1954) were overtly political, many Hollywood films offer perhaps unintended insights into American society. These are
PHILOSOPHY AND FILM
Higham Hall College Bassenthwaite Lake, Cockermouth, Cumbria, United KingdomImmerse yourself in an intellectual sojourn as we navigate the interplay between existential philosophy and the visual language of film, where the profound meets the poetic to forge a unique tapestry of introspection and reflection. Following a now-familiar format, this course is built around a series of structured sessions involving screenings and guided discussion, and
THE ICE AGE AND ITS AFTERMATH IN LAKELAND
Higham Hall College Bassenthwaite Lake, Cockermouth, Cumbria, United KingdomGeological field trips (with some rough, possibly muddy footpaths and a little elevation close to the road) combined with evening lectures. Learn how to identify and understand glacial landforms and features that have formed since the ice disappeared (screes, landslides, river terraces and floodplains) alongside landscape changes still happening today. Suitable for all who are
FULLY BOOKED: THE LIFE OF BUILDINGS: PAST PRESENT FUTURES
Higham Hall College Bassenthwaite Lake, Cockermouth, Cumbria, United KingdomIn almost every town or village, there’s a building built, once upon a time, for a purpose that no longer exists. It might be a church without a congregation, a big house without a household, or an institution without an institute. What do, or could, we do with such buildings? This course will tell the
SUNDAY LECTURE: VISUAL ART, LANDSCAPE AND THE ANGLO-SCOTTISH BORDERS
Higham Hall College Bassenthwaite Lake, Cockermouth, Cumbria, United KingdomIn this lecture, art historian and academic Ysanne Holt will share her current research on the cultural history of this region, exploring artists’ engagements with the landscapes of this cross-border region from the interwar period to the present. Those for consideration include Winifred Nicholson and William Johnstone in the earlier decades, Land/environmental artists of the
FULLY BOOKED: SOLWAY MARITIME HISTORY
Higham Hall College Bassenthwaite Lake, Cockermouth, Cumbria, United KingdomThis course explores the rich maritime history and stunning landscapes of the Solway coast. With a programme of minibus-based field trips we will visit different harbours, historic quaysides and coastal sites stretching from Whitehaven in west Cumbria through to Dumfries in southwest Scotland. Fiona Stoddart Residential: £455 Non-residential: £330 (includes minibus trips)
FULLY BOOKED: MUSHROOMS, TOADSTOOLS AND OTHER FUNGI
Higham Hall College Bassenthwaite Lake, Cockermouth, Cumbria, United KingdomOur seasonal opportunity to develop fungi identification skills with a renowned expert. Minibus field trips: easy, but off-path walking. Collect and observe fungi in various habitats, examine finds, accurately identify with a range of keys for identification to both genus and species. For anyone interested in fungi, seasoned or unseasoned, with a wish to learn.
SUNDAY LECTURE: SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE: LIFE, LITERATURE AND IMAGINATION
Higham Hall College Bassenthwaite Lake, Cockermouth, Cumbria, United KingdomFamous as the author of The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner, Samuel Taylor Coleridge is one of the most intriguing and contradictory characters in English literature. He is also of course a leading figure among Lake District writers. This lecture will focus on Coleridge's achievements as a poet and thinker, in the context of his