This course provides in-depth study of fundamental issues that inescapably confront all persons. Topics include ethics, social and political philosophy, and esthetics--study of the good life, justice, and beauty; metaphysics, philosophy of mind, and philosophy of religion--study of the nature of reality, mind, body, and the meaning of life and death; epistemology, philosophy of science, and logic--study of the nature of knowledge, truth, objectivity, and principles of sound reasoning; and subjects such as comparative philosophies and world cultures, feminist theory, and philosophical issues in technology, language, education, and the professions of law, business, medicine, communications, engineering, and agriculture. These studies enhance imaginative, interpretive, analytical, critical, and communicative capacities. Students thus may acquire intellectual abilities crucial for self-fulfillment, responsible participation in public life, and success in a wide range of careers--including law, business, education, journalism, medicine, and public service.
Effective Speech (CAS 100A) explores how people use techniques of oral communication to address practical, professional and civic problems. It is designed to introduce students to principles of effective public speaking, implemented through the design and presentation of individual speeches. CAS 100A fulfills 3 credits of the writing and speaking requirement for general education.