Chronicle:
July 18, 2003
Vol 49 No. 45

Two interesting articles:
One on distance education for the poor, a new program at University of Maryland University College. Very tough acceptance policies. Students are able to access education remotely and for free. Most are women, most are black. They must be driven and educationally successful to some degree to be accepted.

Second on the tension between selfishness and altruism. Barash argues that biologically we are selfish but that "expressing that selfishness can result in a kind of group-oriented altruism" (B10). If we identify ourselves with family or with nation, we express it as group altruism, yet we are still thinking of ourselves.