A History of Freedom
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A History of Freedom
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Narrated by:
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Rufus J. Fears
About this listen
It can be argued that one simple idea - the concept of freedom - has been the driving force of Western civilization and may be the most influential intellectual force the world has ever known. But what is freedom, exactly? These 36 engaging lectures tell the dramatic story of freedom from ancient Greece to our own day, exploring a concept so close to us we may never have considered it with the thoroughness it deserves.
In exploring what freedom meant to Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King, and other great historical figures, you'll probe a range of provocative issues related to a concept we in the 21st century sometimes take for granted. What does it take to be free, to have and to hold liberty? What role do the liberal arts and the world of the intellect play in the life of a free society or a free individual? How should we understand the relationship among freedom, religion, and morality?
With Professor Fears guiding and informing your thinking, you explore the birth of the idea of freedom in Greece and the story of the world's first democracy; the status and meaning of freedom in both the Roman Republic and the Empire; the role of Christianity in that flowering of freedom, and the Christian view of the true meaning of human liberation; the debates about freedom that informed the framing and ratification of the United States Constitution; its awful testing on the battlefields of the Civil War; the struggles of free peoples against domestic injustices and foreign dictatorships during the 20th century; and the questions about freedom we still face today.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
©2001 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2001 The Great Courses
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 568
In this 12-lecture meditation on Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, you'll uncover the clarity and ethical wisdom of one of humanity's greatest minds. Father Koterski shows how and why this great philosopher can help you deepen and improve your own thinking on questions of morality and leading the best life. The aim of these lectures is to provide you with a clear and thoughtful introduction to Aristotle as a moral philosopher.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Father Joseph is awesome!
- By DeeDeen on 04-08-17
By: The Great Courses, and others
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The Theory of Evolution: A History of Controversy
- By: Edward J. Larson, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Edward J. Larson
- Length: 6 hrs and 10 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 407
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 357
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 353
Charles Darwin's theory of organic evolution-the idea that life on earth is the product of purely natural causes, not the hand of God-set off shock waves that continue to reverberate through Western society, and especially the United States. What makes evolution such a profoundly provocative concept, so convincing to most scientists, yet so socially and politically divisive? These 12 eye-opening lectures are an examination of the varied elements that so often make this science the object of strong sentiments and heated debate.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Little mistakes here and there
- By Daniel on 06-21-16
By: Edward J. Larson, and others
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The Passions: Philosophy and the Intelligence of Emotions
- By: Robert C. Solomon, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert C. Solomon
- Length: 12 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 597
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 525
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 515
Conventional wisdom suggests there is a sharp distinction between emotion and reason. Emotions are seen as inferior, disruptive, primitive, and even bestial forces. These 24 remarkable lectures suggest otherwise-that emotions have intelligence and provide personal strategies that are vitally important to our everyday lives of perceiving, evaluating, appraising, understanding, and acting in the world.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Feel good and be good
- By Gary on 11-24-18
By: Robert C. Solomon, and others
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The Iliad of Homer
- By: Elizabeth Vandiver, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Vandiver
- Length: 6 hrs and 4 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 1,668
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,475
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Story5 out of 5 stars 1,466
For thousands of years, Homer's ancient epic poem the
Iliad has enchanted readers from around the world. When you join Professor Vandiver for this lecture series on the Iliad, you'll come to understand what has enthralled and gripped so many people. Her compelling 12-lecture look at this literary masterpiece -whether it's the work of many authors or the "vision" of a single blind poet - makes it vividly clear why, after almost 3,000 years, the
Iliad remains not only among the greatest adventure stories ever told but also one of the most compelling meditations on the human condition ever written.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Vandiver never disappoints
- By Machteacher on 07-23-13
By: Elizabeth Vandiver, and others
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The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World
- By: Robert Garland, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert Garland
- Length: 24 hrs and 28 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8,776
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 7,873
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7,821
Look beyond the abstract dates and figures, kings and queens, and battles and wars that make up so many historical accounts. Over the course of 48 richly detailed lectures, Professor Garland covers the breadth and depth of human history from the perspective of the so-called ordinary people, from its earliest beginnings through the Middle Ages.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Tantalizing time trip
- By Mark on 08-21-13
By: Robert Garland, and others
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The Foundations of Western Civilization
- By: Thomas F. X. Noble, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Thomas F. X. Noble
- Length: 24 hrs and 51 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,687
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,448
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,433
What is Western Civilization? According to Professor Noble, it is "much more than human and political geography," encompassing myriad forms of political and institutional structures - from monarchies to participatory republics - and its own traditions of political discourse. It involves choices about who gets to participate in any given society and the ways in which societies have resolved the tension between individual self-interest and the common good.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Not Engaging or Very Interesting
- By Tommy D'Angelo on 03-05-17
By: Thomas F. X. Noble, and others
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Early Modern Philosophy: Descartes and the Rationalists
- By: James D. Reid, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: James D. Reid
- Length: 6 hrs and 13 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 1
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 1
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Story5 out of 5 stars 1
From the 17th to 18th centuries, bold thinkers cast off the authority of ancient traditions and embraced reason as the primary tool for understanding the world. These rationalists, or early modern philosophers, included René Descartes, Baruch Spinoza, and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz—visionaries whose answers to profound questions remain relevant today. Early Modern Philosophy: Descartes and the Rationalists covers the key philosophers of this period in 12 fascinating half-hour lectures, presented by award-winning teacher James D. Reid, Professor of Philosophy at Metropolitan State University.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great Introduction and overview
- By Shawn Klein on 01-16-25
By: James D. Reid, and others
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A Day's Read
- By: The Great Courses, Emily Allen, Grant L. Voth, and others
- Narrated by: Arnold Weinstein, Emily Allen, Grant L. Voth
- Length: 18 hrs and 25 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 234
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 207
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Story4 out of 5 stars 209
Join three literary scholars and award-winning professors as they introduce you to dozens of short masterpieces that you can finish - and engage with - in a day or less. Perfect for people with busy lives who still want to discover-or rediscover-just how transformative an act of reading can be, these 36 lectures range from short stories of fewer than 10 pages to novellas and novels of around 200 pages. Despite their short length, these works are powerful examinations of the same subjects and themes that longer "great books" discuss.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Stories not included, only discussed
- By Julie Newman on 01-15-16
By: The Great Courses, and others
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Books That Matter: The Analects of Confucius
- By: Robert André LaFleur
- Narrated by: Robert André LaFleur
- Length: 11 hrs and 52 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 366
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 317
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 313
With these 24 accessible lectures, enjoy an adventurous exploration of one of the world's most important philosophical texts. Filled with rich historical context, detailed close readings of key passages, expert interpretations of larger cultural trends, and stories of Confucius and his most notable students (and critics), these lectures are required learning for anyone who wants a solid understanding of Eastern philosophy - and the ways a single book can cross cultures and go on to inspire an entire world.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Not very good....
- By Amazon Customer on 01-17-17
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Food: A Cultural Culinary History
- By: Ken Albala, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Ken Albala
- Length: 18 hrs and 22 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 5,164
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 4,570
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,535
Eating is an indispensable human activity. As a result, whether we realize it or not, the drive to obtain food has been a major catalyst across all of history, from prehistoric times to the present. Epicure Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin said it best: "Gastronomy governs the whole life of man."
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5 out of 5 stars
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One of my top 3 favorite courses!
- By Jessica on 12-28-13
By: Ken Albala, and others
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The Evolution of American Federalism
- By: Joseph L. Hoffmann, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Joseph L. Hoffmann
- Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 1
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Story5 out of 5 stars 1
The promise of America is that the country is based on an idea, one where everyone is created equal and equally free to chart their own course. From 13 newly independent states ratifying a national constitution to the heated debates in the halls of Congress today, American politics is about negotiation over what our country is—and where we are going.
By: Joseph L. Hoffmann, and others
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History's Great Military Blunders and the Lessons They Teach
- By: The Great Courses, Gregory S. Aldrete
- Narrated by: Gregory S. Aldrete
- Length: 12 hrs and 12 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,512
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,098
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,080
Military history often highlights successes and suggests a sense of inevitability about victory, but there is so much that can be gleaned from considering failures. Study these crucibles of history to gain a better understanding of why a civilization took - or didn't take - a particular path.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Martial Chaos
- By Cynthia on 08-16-16
By: The Great Courses, and others
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What America’s Founders Learned from Antiquity
- By: Caroline Winterer, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Caroline Winterer
- Length: 12 hrs and 55 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 9
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 6
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Story5 out of 5 stars 6
Many Americans know that our nation’s founders drew inspiration from the political systems of ancient Rome and Greece. But what exactly were these influences? And did they shape the United States in far-reaching ways? In these 24 compelling lectures, Professor Winterer takes you on a journey into the thought and actions of the American revolutionaries, showing how classical antiquity shaped every aspect of the revolutionary and founding era.
By: Caroline Winterer, and others
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The Power of Thought Experiments
- By: Daniel Breyer, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Daniel Breyer
- Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 21
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 17
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Story4 out of 5 stars 17
Thought experiments are “what if” scenarios that invite us to look carefully at how we think and view the world. They’ve been used throughout history by philosophers and other thinkers to explore our intuitions and ways of reasoning, to find solutions to problems, and to expand our knowledge of ourselves and the world. In these 24 eye-opening lectures, Professor Breyer takes you deeply into the historical tradition of thought experiments, shining a light on both the purpose and the outcomes of these compelling mental voyages.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Real Life Pholosophy
- By Dennis on 07-19-23
By: Daniel Breyer, and others
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The American Civil War
- By: Gary W. Gallagher, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Gary W. Gallagher
- Length: 24 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 4,630
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 4,103
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Story5 out of 5 stars 4,078
Between 1861 and 1865, the clash of the greatest armies the Western hemisphere had ever seen turned small towns, little-known streams, and obscure meadows in the American countryside into names we will always remember. In those great battles, those streams ran red with blood-and the United States was truly born.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent Series
- By Rodney on 07-09-13
By: Gary W. Gallagher, and others
What listeners say about A History of Freedom
Highly rated for:
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kenneth L Pilgreen
- 05-03-22
For Everyone
professor Fears is captivating. This course should studied by every American.
Our freedom is not free!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Samuel Robinson III
- 12-24-21
Amazing
Professor Fears is quite simply the most informed mind and best lecturer I have ever heard in my life. I was looking for a foundation of knowledge upon which to base further learning in the future. If you’re seeking the same, I guarantee that you won’t be disappointed.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Evelyn Gastelum
- 03-05-25
Favorite class
I find myself re listening to this class often. Fun and informative and a constant reminder of the importance of individual freedom!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- JPak
- 09-04-15
Outstanding history
Fascinating history of ideas and the people who best represented them. Explains so much about how we are today. Highly recommended.
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8 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Andrew Hoven
- 02-04-23
A remarkable journey through history
Professor Fears has a particular style to his teaching. if may be divisive but it is interesting and attention grabbing. He tells the story of freedom with enthusiasm. it is well worth the listen, it is a refreshing discourse.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 07-20-18
A World Class Course in Freedom
This should be a compulsory course for every high school student in the US!!! It is such a shame Dr Fears is no longer with us. I would have loved to discuss the history of freedom over some adult beverages.
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6 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Beowulf
- 06-20-19
Fun and Compelling
The avuncular Dr. Fears is always entertaining. I wish I had him as a professor. All of the reviews complaining that this course is "too American-centered" or something like that are wrong. How can one trace the history of freedom and not rely heavily on the United States? That Dr. Fears doesn't hate his own country or look for things to "trouble" him will trouble some folks, but if you want to hear a sensible overview of the subject, this is a good place to begin. Like many people, I have begin listening to some of these Great Courses but lost interest as they proceeded. I likested to all 36 lectures of this one.
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6 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 03-29-22
Mandatory.
Every citizen should read this book. This is the path of freedom and articulates where we have come from and how we need to maintain that path.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 10-23-22
Very inspiring series!!
This was a tour de force, very inspiring and though provoking; I thoroughly enjoyed it
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- James Kabucho
- 09-09-23
Freedom taught Fearlessly
Great time spent with Rufus Fears. Freedom in all it’s complexities isn’t a trophy to be won and then placed on a shelf.
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