Fall Season: Butler University Cultural Calendar

I just flipped through Butler University's fall cultural calendar, and there are several intriguing lectures coming up this season. I'm most excited about several of the science lectures, but you may find something else that appeals to you. Here's the full schedule:

• Sept. 16: "Darwinism, Natural Theology and Moral Values," with speaker Robert Richards.
• Sept. 22: Dave Isay, founder of StoryCorps and Sound Portraits.
• Sept. 25: "Community-Centered Leadership: Leading from the Heart," with speaker Wilma Mankiller.
• Oct. 21: "Darwinism and Political Thought," with speaker Carson Holloway.
• Oct. 29: Daniel Pink, author of "A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future."
• Nov. 10: "Caring About Our Communities: A Dialogue on Urban Renewal and Social Change in America," with Greg Ballard and several other mayors.
• Nov. 13: Lee Keesler, president and CEO, Arts and Science Council (Charlotte, N.C.)

Here's the schedule for the Visiting Writers Series:

• Sept. 16: Frank Bidart, poet.
• Sept. 29: Sherman Alexie, author of "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian."
• Oct. 8: Thomas Lux, poet.
• Oct. 30: Lan Samantha Chang, author of "Hunger" and "Inheritance."
• Nov. 10: Honor Moore, author of "The Bishop's Daughter."
• Dec. 3: Chris Forhan, poet.

And, finally, here's the schedule for the J. James Woods Lectures in the Sciences and Mathematics:

• Sept. 18: "Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me)," with speaker Elliot Aronson, a psychologist best known for his work on cognitive dissonance and cooperative learning. The focus of his talk is his new book, "Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions and Hurtful Acts."
• Sept. 30: "A Naturalist and Other Beasts," with speaker George B. Schaller, a conservationist who will share his stories of trying to preserve endangered species.
• Dec. 3: "Ancient Fossil Hunters: The Grifin and the Monster of Troy," with speaker Adrienne Mayor, a folklorist and historian of ancient science. She will discuss how ancient fossils influenced Greek and Roman myths.