Various forms of media bombard us with facts that depend on or are related to the truth. But what is "truth"? Analysis, interpretation, elucidation, and point of view always accompany facts. We see this especially in situations of uncertainty such as the spread of coronavirus. When are connections between facts, opinions, assumptions, and claims acceptable or justified? We begin by examining claims that people make without even being concerned about truth or falsity: BS.

The planetary systems on which human civilizations depend are increasingly under threat, forcing contemporary societies to reckon with their societies' impacts on the Earth's biosphere. "Politics as usual" has become a recipe for ecological suicide. Building sustainable societies will be this generation's defining challenge. Students in this course will examine how political thinkers throughout history have characterized humanity's place in the natural world, and how those ideas shape political beliefs, institutions and practices today.

This course uses a sociological framework to examine the nature and structure of modern industrial societies. To identify central trends in society and culture, this course covers several basic themes, such as social inequality and social interaction, that have appeared repeatedly in the works of major social thinkers.

Scientists are sequencing the DNA of human beings at an unprecedented scale. In this course we will explore how the technology of DNA sequencing evolved over the last 45 years, becoming so streamlined and cost-efficient that ordinary citizens can now look at their own genome sequences using "direct-to-consumer" services. Additionally, we will critically examine how the ubiquity of DNA sequencing has led to a greater understanding of the shared genetic ancestry between all human beings and paradoxically to a resurgence of scientific racism.