Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes stated that the law is both a mirror and a motor for society. Landmark cases frequently have an impact well beyond the courtroom, reflecting deeper truths about America and driving both legal and social thinking in new directions. But what does it mean when the Supreme Court changes direction and abandons its own precedent? Historical cases like Marbury v. Madison, Lochner v. New York, Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Board of Education, and more recent cases like Roe v. Wade and Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Clinic, Obergefell v.

This course covers material ordinarily included in a year-long introductory course in high school biology, typically a prerequisite for AP® or IB Biology. We’ll begin with the smallest unit, the atom, and build toward discussions of ecology and the environment. Along the way, we’ll sample biochemistry, genetics, and cellular processes, and integrate these concepts into our studies of evolution and systems of living things, such as respiration and reproduction. Through readings, lectures, and lab work, you’ll finish the course with a strong foundation in biological concepts.

One look at classic anatomical sketches such as Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man, created from the artist’s meticulous observations of dissected cadavers, can inspire a deep interest in the body and how it works. Doctors and scientists continue to discover new information about how bodies function. This course surveys the human body’s immune, integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, lymphatic, respiratory, digestive, excretory, and reproductive systems—paying special attention to cells and tissues.

Ninety-four percent of life on Earth is aquatic, yet we have only explored 5 percent of the planet's oceans. Marine ecologists aim to reduce this knowledge gap while using biology, chemistry, physics, geology, geography, and meteorology to study oceans and the hundreds of thousands of known species that live below their surface.

How can cats see in the dark? How can snakes smell with their tongues? How do optical illusions “trick” the brain? You’ll answer these questions while exploring the anatomy and physiology of the nervous system and the way different organisms’ brains process sensory information in order to experience their surroundings. You’ll learn about sensory abilities that humans don’t have, like electric organs and sonar navigation. In the lab, you and your classmates will dissect organs like a sheep’s brain and a cow’s eye to explore how senses relate to functionality.

How we behave under stress often gives a rare, unfiltered glimpse into how we think and act, but what about our institutions? Examine the UN—specifically, the World Health Organization (WHO)—by studying past epidemics such as Ebola and AIDS in order to effectively address a future global health crisis.

For generations, great mysteries have captivated readers with compelling characters and suspenseful storytelling punctuated by intriguing, unconventional sleuths like Eve Titus’s Basil of Baker Street and Wendelin Van Draanen’s Sammy Keyes. In this course, we’ll analyze and interpret examples of the genre, gaining expertise with literary elements such as foreshadowing, tone, and narrative arc. What does it take to be a great detective? How do mystery writers keep us guessing?

Why are round-trip fares from Orlando to Kansas City higher than those from Kansas City to Orlando? How do interest-rate adjustments affect the real estate market? How does one calculate the price-to-earnings ratio of a stock and use it to predict future performance? Mathematics plays an indispensable part in answering these questions.

Geometric and spatial reasoning skills are essential for living in and making sense of the world around us. Everything from solving a jigsaw puzzle to arranging furniture to efficiently packing a bag requires these abilities. Learn and practice these skills as you delve into the mathematical relationships between objects—ones that include congruence and symmetry, reflection and rotation, or expansion and contraction.

Do we have free will, or do our brains automatically respond to stimuli? What, if anything, distinguishes right from wrong? Philosophers relentlessly pursue fundamental questions of life, and their techniques apply to problems in any discipline. They establish standards of evidence, provide rational methods for resolving conflicts, and create templates for evaluating ideas and arguments. This course surveys several major areas of Western analytic philosophy: metaphysics and epistemology, ethics, and philosophies of mind, language, religion, and science.