CSC 191: Ethics of Emerging Technologies
Instructor: Dr. William B. Cochran
When: Monday/Wednesday 3:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
New technologies are on the horizon and quickly becoming part of our lives. Generative AI can write text, produce pictures, and even generate code with a simple prompt. Deepfakes can create increasingly convincing fake videos. Brain-computer interfaces promise new possibilities of thought and perception, and the metaverse could fabricate new realities. What can we do to ensure that these technologies emerge in ways that benefit humanity? Students will develop an ethical toolkit to diagnose the ethical implications of emerging technologies and seek ways to craft a more ethical future. Our ultimate goal will be to chart a path for several technologies that preserves their promise while avoiding their potential pitfalls.
CSC 391: Ethical Computer Science
Instructor: Dr. William B. Cochran
When: Tuesday/Thursday 3:30 p.m. – 4:45 a.m.
In an era where AI and other emerging technologies increasingly shape human experience, what can be done to ensure that computing technologies preserve and promote human flourishing? This course contends that the answer begins with cultivating the individual computer scientist’s capacity for excellent ethical decision-making. Through personal reflection, Socratic dialogue, and engagement with real-world case studies, this course aims to empower students to navigate complex ethical issues in the development and deployment of computing technologies. By interweaving theory and practice, the course prompts students to develop greater awareness of the wider impacts of their work, cultivate virtues of character that are both personally and professionally relevant, and become skillful communicators. As they progress, students will be encouraged to envision themselves not just as competent technicians, but as ethical leaders in a rapidly evolving technosocial landscape.
HMN 374: Humanities & Law
Instructor: Dr. Bryan Ellrod
When: Monday/Wednesday/Friday 2:00 p.m. – 2:50 p.m.
In this course we will seek to understand law not only as an apparatus of power, but also a system of meaning—as one of the languages by which we articulate our identities and grapple with our shared humanity. Along the way, we will analyze the connection between the shape of our legal systems and the shape of our moral character. More than this, however, we will seek to cultivate in ourselves the critical capacities and excellences of character that would make this connection a cause for individual and collective flourishing rather than alienation and invidious distinctions.
AAS 220: African American Cultural Criticism
Instructor: Dr. Dan Henry
When: Tuesday/Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
This class offers an introduction to themes of perception, expression, and imagination in Black political thought. Black artists, intellectuals, and social movements have long complicated white, western ways of “seeing” the world–in science, religion, literature, politics, and everyday interactions. Far from simply a history of “response,” however, Black imaginative and expressive traditions offer distinct ideals of beauty and the good, and point toward possibilities of freer futures. Among other topics, we will explore the ways Black artists and intellectuals have interrogated imagination and its cultivation; expressive freedom; representation and authenticity; and the tasks of self-definition.
AAS 320: Philosophy and Race
Instructor: Dr. Dan Henry
When: Tuesday/Thursday 3:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
“This society is not likely to become free of racism,” wrote Ralph Ellison, “thus it is necessary for Negroes to free themselves by becoming their idea of what a free people should be.” This course will focus on expansive efforts to reimagine the meaning of freedom in African American political thought and their ethical implications. What ideals and dispositions underlie these accounts of freedom, and how do they challenge prevailing terms of American civic life? Our discussions will engage, but are not limited to, themes of voice, community, memory, prophecy, and self-definition.
ENT 304 A: Social Impact in Entrepreneurship
Instructor: Dr. Fatima Hamdulay
When: Tuesday/Thursday 2:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Being an entrepreneur offers a unique opportunity to creatively conceive alternate, more collectively impactful ways of being successful. In this course, we consider and envision ways of making an impactful contribution to an increasingly broader range of stakeholders-from building great team culture to embodying exemplary altruism – crafting a vision of impact appropriate for your own entrepreneurial venture.
ENT 305 A/B: Leadership and Character in Entrepreneurship
Instructor: Dr. Fatima Hamdulay
When: Wednesday/Friday 11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. (A) & 12:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. (B)
Leadership and character challenges go hand-in-hand with the entrepreneurial journey. In this course, we ask three questions as we traverse the entrepreneur’s path: What are the ways I see the world? How do they shape my views on character, opportunity and value creation? How will I lead the way?
ENT 306 A: Building Entrepreneurial Teams
Instructor: Dr. Fatima Hamdulay
When: Tuesday/Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
How do we develop high-performing teams that deliver on innovation? ‘Building Entrepreneurial Teams’ invites students to explore this question while highlighting the essential role of collaboration in entrepreneurial success. Recognizing that effective ventures thrive within supportive networks, the course examines the tensions inherent in teamwork, such as balancing speed with future-orientation, collaboration with assertiveness, and harmony with conflict. Incorporating a learn-by-doing approach, students will navigate how to address entrepreneurial teaming challenges and apply personalized, character-driven strategies to cultivate teams that drive innovation and achieve impactful outcomes.
HMN 200: Introduction to Humanities: Ecological Flourishing across Cultures
Instructor: Dr. Eunice Jianping Hu
When: Monday/Wednesday/Friday 11:00 p.m. – 11:50 p.m.
This course examines ideas about the relation between humans and the environment through the perspectives of literature, film, art, history, and philosophy and investigates how the values, beliefs, and attitudes across cultures that inform our relationship to nature can impact our understanding of various environmental issues that are closely related to our day-to-day practices.
HMN 211 A & B: Dialogues with Antiquity-The Good Life in Eastern and Western Perspectives
Instructor: Dr. Eunice Jianping Hu
When: Monday/Wednesday/Friday 1:00 p.m. – 1:50 p.m. (A) & 2:00 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. (B)
What does it mean for human beings to be “good”? How can we live a “good” life? This course considers some of the most influential answers to such questions, beginning with the thought of Confucius and Aristotle, towering figures in Eastern and Western traditions, respectively. In addition to studying the writings of these major figures comparatively, our course will examine visual art, short stories, and other forms to trace the influence of Confucius and Aristotle in contemporary societies, to analyze our own presuppositions, and to reflect upon how we might live well in our current age.
EDU 111: Inclusive Leadership: Leading with Character across Differences
Instructor: Dr. Christina Richardson
When: Wednesday/Friday 11:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.
This course equips aspiring leaders with the skills to develop character-centered classrooms in culturally attuned ways. We will explore strategies for supporting character development with an understanding of students’ diverse cultural backgrounds and examine how teachers can effectively model and promote key character traits such as empathy, integrity, and resilience. This course will also guide educators in collaborating with colleagues, families, and the community to support holistic student growth. By the end of the course, educators will be prepared to create character-centered learning environments.