Author Archives: cw2770

The Kantian Challenge and How to Overcome It

Like most other Columbia undergraduates, I was first introduced to the work of Immanuel Kant halfway through my sophomore year. Kant’s slim-but-dense ethical treatise, the Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, is the second text that students read in Contemporary … Continue reading

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An Undergraduate Research Project, from Idea to Publication

When I first learned about the Humanities Research Scholars Program during winter break of my sophomore year, I felt both daunted and excited. I had never done any kind of research before, and I had no idea of what topic … Continue reading

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Learning to Read the Core

As the fall semester approaches, first-years across campus are engaged– excitedly, nervously, or maybe even frantically– in the hallowed Columbia tradition of reading the first six books of The Iliad. SparkNotes has been consulted, copious amounts of highlighter have been … Continue reading

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Just Inquiry: Columbia’s Core, Columbia’s Gates

When I first arrived at Columbia, I did not pay much attention to the gates. They were just there. They stood as symbols of arrival, departure, tradition, and maybe even security. But over time, I started to see them completely … Continue reading

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