The PA Dutch culture is pervasive in Lancaster County.  Did you notice? You may wonder why Lank-iss-tur is a thing.  You may be a descendant yourself if your name is anything like Martin. You may be a different kind of immigrant. So, who were these dreamers who settled our fertile lands?  Who are the PA Dutch now? And what, pray tell, is scrapple? Join us for an enlightening evening, complete with a scrapple tasting and all the glorious aroma that…

Is American so exceptional? What’s the origin of this vision? Has it been helpful? What are its pitfalls? Join us for a civil and spirited discussion of the religious and cultural roots of the USA’s sense of self. Yes, this event will be about politics but not be political in the Red/Blue sense. Let’s do something exceptional: Let’s learn, listen, and talk with civility. Wow, what a concept! Dan Spanjer is Chair of the Arts and Sciences Department and Professor…

We’re going back to square one with this Forum. The technical term for our quest is epistemology. That is, how do we know what we know? How do we know what is true? Is anything knowable or worth knowing? If you’ve honestly, perhaps silently, asked those questions, Dr. Meek’s presentation is for you. Drawing on the ancient notion of covenant relationships as well as the tenets of tacit reasoning in the works of Michael Polanyi, Esther winsomely argues that all…

Healthcare is a black box of secrecy to most of us common folk. From understanding the prices of procedures to the ever-changing hospital arms-race to the quagmire of public/private insurance plans, most of us just grin and bear it. But from the inside, Dr. Makary has been laboring to reform the culture of protectionism and cronyism that hinders common sense care. Watch a TV episode of The Resident, and get ready to meet the series’ inspiration. His influential book, Unaccountable: …