We trust our visual systems to provide reliable information about the world around us (“seeing is believing”) and generally believe we are aware of what is going on around us. Despite that trust, there are numerous instances where there is a mismatch between what we perceive and what is out there (e.g., illusions). Some perception researchers and philosophers have gone as far as to argue that we live in a grand illusion. What do they mean? Why would they suggest this? We explore these, and other issues associated with the relationship between our visual system, attention, perception, and conscious awareness.

With almost every climate record shattered in 2023, we are aware that the "distant" threat of climate change has already arrived. Fortunately, the human ingenuity needed to address climate change is also present and racing full steam ahead. This presentation will focus on the impact on our personal health and safety as well as on our public health systems. It will highlight actions that can be taken to mitigate these impacts. C-Change Conversations is a national organization that focuses on forging consensus so that climate action can take place. This class is presented by the local affiliate of C-Change Conversations.