Enriching the Mind

If one wants to feed the mind and is unconcerned about receiving a credential as validation for one's effort, there is no better time than today. World-class scholars are teaching on-line courses whose content once upon a time could only have been obtained at selective universities. Assuming that the student has a computer with a wi-fi connection, the cost is free. The price of participation is limited to books and supplies.

Today's example:

Yale University is launching its next generation of free online courses this month, with four new courses debuting in the next six weeks. Registration is open now for all courses at http://www.coursera.org/yale.

Four of Yale’s most distinguished scholars are inaugurating the program. The course titles, faculty members, and dates of the first online classes are:

January 16 – “Roman Architecture,” with Diana E. E. Kleiner, Dunham Professor of History of Art and Classics

January 20 - "Moralities of Everyday Life," with Paul Bloom, Brooks and Suzanne Ragen Professor of Psychology & Cognitive Science

January 27 - “Constitutional Law,” with Akil Amar ’80, ’84 JD, Sterling Professor of Law & Political Science

February 17 - “Financial Markets,” with Robert Shiller, Sterling Professor of Economics

In keeping with my New Year's resolutions, I will sign up for one course. No more than one, though. In keeping with another resolution, I will finish what I start.