March 21, 2016 at 1:35 pm
When Marco Rubio declared “We need more welders and less philosophers,” he was greeted with quite the bit of applause. This push for vocational work (shall we call it a populist appeal?) has become a central thread in the public conversation of this election season; this is likely motivated by continuing concerns about economic recovery […]
As the core office is situated on a college campus, we have, ever so often, heard variations of this unfortunate conversation: Timmy: “How’d you do on the paper, Josh?” Josh: “I did alright. You?” Timmy: “Oh you know, just a 98. I’m surprised though. I started the book yesterday, watched TV until 1am. Wrote it […]
February 24, 2015 at 1:29 pm
Look, we’re readers in the Core. We’re readers of big books, huge ones, even. But there’s a certain point when the book goes on too long. We’ve all been there: Crime and Punishment. Perhaps you’re thinking, “maybe I should read that canonical novel!” I’m going to stop you right there. Emphasis mine. Luckily, this is […]
February 23, 2015 at 10:44 am
As we look down the road to the 25th anniversary celebration of the founding of the Core Curriculum (taking place this May 1st and 2nd… hope to see you there!), we’ve been getting in touch with Core alumni to find out how they’ve been doing in the years since they left BU. We’re gathering these […]
January 5, 2015 at 10:48 am
The taxi service Uber is taking Boston by force. With its mixed reviews in the media, riders wonder about their drivers as well as what services are offered outside Beantown. Lucky for us at the Core office, Professor Hamill left a copy of the New Yorker open to an article providing Uber reviews for Charon, […]
December 8, 2014 at 10:02 am
This past weekend, Professor David Eckel continued his favorite tradition of bringing a group of Core students to see the Nutcracker at the Boston Opera House.
December 3, 2014 at 12:27 pm
Do you ever feel like essay-writing can be tough? Me, too. Now just imagine being asked to write an essay when you have never heard of the concept of making an argument, and you don’t know what the internet is. Suki Kim taught English for six months at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology […]
December 1, 2014 at 1:19 pm
Pericles’ famous funeral oration honoring fallen soldiers in The Pelopponesian War is an ode to Athens. He proclaims the glories of the state in great depth and detail, and calls on the families of the dead to remain steadfast in their patriotism. One of the Athenian virtues he praises is that of the informed democratic […]
November 24, 2014 at 1:52 pm
Wendy Doniger’s War and Peace in the Bhagavad Gita is possibly best described as a biography of the Bhagavad Gita. She explores the book’s history and the somewhat contradictory way an epic call to battle has come to be something of a pacifist icon. The Gita incorporates into its seven hundred verses many different sorts of insights, which […]
November 5, 2014 at 12:04 pm
Vegetarianism and veganism have been on the rise in recent years, and adherents often cite consideration of animal rights as a motivation. But what if they heard that plants can also feel pain? It is already well-known that plants respond to external stimuli such as sunlight, air quality, and other basic factors, but a mysterious […]
