One pandemic down, but how many more to go? And what other stuff should we be worrying about? In this class, we'll look at potential future pandemics, climate change, and "evil AI" to see what may end up being humanity's permanent downfall - and what we can do to stop it.

Have you ever looked in the mirror and wondered, "What is going on in my head?" Philosophers and scientists have thought about this question for centuries and still have no definitive answer. Is our brain just a biological machine? Are we more than our brain? What is color? What is consciousness? This class aims at analyzing the fundamental thought and scientific experiments that try to answer these questions. My goal is for everyone taking the class to be able to think critically about the nature of the mind by the end.

Imagine this: you are standing in the snack isle of your local grocery store and you are deciding between buying chips or pretzels? You think, "I like chips more, so I'll buy the chips." But why? Did you decide you like chips more, or did your body tell you that you like chips more than pretzels? Is any of the two scenarios considered "free will?" What even is "free will?" This class seeks to ask (but not necessarily answer!) two questions: what is free will and do you have free will? This class will utilize the socratic method to gain an understanding of these concepts and question your belief about the nature of choice.