Thinking About "Thinking About Thinking"

It seemed like a religious pilgrimage: a group of strangers, whose pasts were unknown and futures uncertain, gathered silently, in one's and two's. Families, friends and blockmates. Everyone knew why everyone else was there: The Event.

It probably could be considered a religious sort of worship, now that Thomas Professor of Divinity Harvey G. Cox has joined the team of Frankfurter Professor of Law Alan M. Dershowitz and Agassiz Professor of Zoology Stephen J. Gould in a weekly, sit-back-in-your-chair-and-let-the-self-importance-hang-out affair which they know we call "Egos." Essentially, it's a matter of sharing a beer with the best, in their mind. To our surprise, after two hours, we were rather convinced. Gould, Dershowitz and Cox present something novel and exciting in the humdrum lives of us undergraduates: professors interested in examining issues anew--learning and thinking with a class--and not just repeating the same dry lectures they have to dust off each year and show up to give (e.g. Baker Professor of Economics Martin S. Feldstein '61).

Instead, The Threesome emphasized the interdisciplinary, exploratory nature of the course to a hodgepodge of 400-some undergraduates, FAS grad students, divinity students and fellows, all vying to join the law students already pre-registered in the class. On blank index cards, the don't-trust-the-computer-system lottery went forth: as you read this, students are pressing their face against Science Center glass to see if they are among the Chosen Ones.

However you feel about the lovefest nature of the class, we at Dartboard feel the enormous turnout, mentioned repeatedly by the professors, is a testament to the dire need for such innovative academic opportunities at the University. These professors are willing to take risks not only with the content of what they are teaching but also with an interactive class format (that distinctly reminds us of what Harvard's brochures made us think education here would be).

A note to other Harvard professors: You don't need to inflate your ego, join other Big Names and give your course a Hollywood title to make us rave about you. Just give us what these three are advertising: a class that will allow us to think, for credit.

--Adam I. Arenson, Lauren E. Baer & Alixandra E. Smith