- By Martha Pearson
CLE Board President
The Highlands-Cashiers Center for Life Enrichment (CLE) welcomes two renowned scholars for four thought-provoking presentations that delve into some of the most enduring questions in American history, science, and society.
Ed Larson, historian and Pulitzer Prize winning author of “Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America’s Continuing Debate Over Science and Religion” will kick things off on Tuesday, July 8 with his timely presentation “The Culture Wars at 100: A Century After Scopes.” Marking the centennial of the infamous 1925 “Monkey Trial,” which pitted evolution against creationism in a Tennessee courtroom, Larson will explore the enduring tensions between science and religion. Drawing on his expertise in law and history, Larson’s lecture promises to illuminate the cultural and political echoes of the trial that still reverberate a century later.
The next day on July 9, Dr. James T. Costa, biologist, author, and Executive Director of the Highlands Biological Station, will present “Darwin’s Circle and the Evolution of Belief: Science, Faith, and the Struggle for Understanding.” He will offer an interdisciplinary perspective on how evolutionary theory has been received, resisted, and reconciled with spiritual belief systems, and how doubt and devotion played out in unexpected ways within and without Darwin’s circle. His talk will trace the legacy of Darwin’s ideas in shaping not only scientific thought, but also public consciousness and religious understanding.
Ed Larson will also return with a second compelling lecture on Thursday, July 10: “Washington’s Constitution.” Drawing from his scholarship on the Founding Fathers, Larson will examine Washington’s critical role in shaping the presidency and how his leadership helped define the constitutional framework for executive authority—a subject with powerful resonance in today’s political climate.
Later in the summer on Thursday, Aug. 21, Dr. Costa will return for an author reception for his recent book, “Darwin and the Art of Botany.” He will delve into the often overlooked yet larger aspect of Darwin’s work - botanical observations and experiments that became the catalyst for some of his most groundbreaking theories and paved the way to our understanding of plant biology today. Costa’s book spotlights 45 fascinating plants studied by Darwin, each illustrated with beautiful and historically significant botanical artwork, curated by botanical artist Bobbi Angell from the Library at the Oak Spring Garden Foundation in Upperville, Virginia.
For more information on these programs, pricing, and registration, please visit www.clehighlands.com or call (828) 526-8811.