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Welcome to the home page of Perception, Mind and Reality (2007-2008)! This program is for first-year students at The Evergreen State College and explores the issues created by the disconnect between what we perceive and what is actually present. Drawing from a variety of fields including psychology, physics, and the arts, we plan to spend the year engaging ourselves in connections between - and perceptions of - the mind, body, and spirit. Faculty members include Don Middendorf, Jean Cavendish, and Sean Williams.

What can we learn from our own experiences and the experiences of others, so that we can more fully connect to our families, friends, and communities? How do we focus our perceptions so that we do more than simply react with fight-or-flight instincts to what we see, hear, or feel? What makes one person's experience more "real" than another's? What if someone is colorblind or tone deaf, or cannot remember their dreams? We will try to gain access to diverse answers for these questions by putting theory into practice.

During fall quarter we will begin to explore the basics of Western psychology, cultural studies, and sound. We'll study perception, personality theory and memory. We'll also consider the nature of reality from the viewpoint of modern physics. In winter quarter, we will expand into music in the realm of the sacred, music therapies across cultures, consciousness studies, and aspects of psychopathology as a window into the workings of the human mind. In spring quarter some of you will have the option of working with Don Middendorf on more in-depth studies, such as other areas of psychology or phsyics. Admission to spring quarter is with Don's agreement only.

SCHEDULE:
Mondays

  • 11:00-3:00 SEM 2 C1105 (lecture/workshop)
  • 5:00-6:30 SEM 2 C1105 (lecture/workshop)
  • 6:30-8:30 SEM 2 C2107, C2109, C3107 (seminars)

Wednesdays

  • 11:00-1:00 Lecture Hall 3 (student focus groups)

Thursdays

  • 11:00-2:00 SEM 2 C1105 (lecture/workshop)
  • 2:30-4:30 SEM 2 C2107, C2109, C3107 (seminars)