1. Fundamental questions about moral and social life affect us all, and 21.01 provides an introduction to the lifelong journey of answering these questions.
As humans, there are certain questions we must all ask ourselves as we move through life. Regardless of background or field, each of us love certain ideas, people, and things—why is it that we value these entities and not others? Each of us is certain about some concepts and uncertain about others—what do we know, and how do we know that it’s true? Each of us is part of a society subject to certain rules and relationships, whether we agree with them or not—what is it that we owe to others, and why? These questions are inescapable and uniting, and that is what makes them so vital—and so interesting. With foundational texts and faculty guidance by their side, Compass gives students the tools and frameworks for the lifelong journey of answering them.
As scientists, engineers, and people working alongside them, there is the added question of how discovery and creation tie into these fundamental questions. MIT students go on to be experts in a variety of fields, and with expertise comes the question of how to use it. What is your role in society as an expert, and how does that affect the person you are and what you owe to others? As engineers, scientists, and economists increasingly influence the policy sphere, Compass can help you grapple with how being human interacts with being an expert.
2. Compass is designed by renowned faculty across the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (SHASS), providing you with insight into how different fields approach big questions.
Professors from ten disciplines in SHASS have come together to design the course, with input from professors in the Schools of Science and Engineering (learn more about the design and teaching teams).
Bringing disciplines into conversation with one another provides a more complete picture of what is important than any one discipline can. What do linguists, historians, and philosophers agree on when it comes to truth? Do musicians and mathematicians mean the same thing when they talk about genius? Through both the structure of classes and the Compass podcast (which brings perspectives from STEM and other faculty around MIT into conversation with the class), Compass centers the multidisciplinary nature of fundamental questions.
- Deciding on a HASS concentration or minor? For MIT undergraduates who are deciding on a HASS concentration or choosing between HASS minors, this class provides a survey of SHASS fields, with lessons from faculty in political science, philosophy, music, history, literature, linguistics, STS (Science, Technology, and Society), economics, and anthropology.
- Compass counts towards communications intensive (CI-H) and humanities/social science requirements. Compass is a HASS-E, which means it can count towards the 8 HASS classes which all undergraduates are required to take. 21.01 is also a CI-H, meaning it includes instruction on oral and written communication and can count as one of your two required CI-H classes.
3. The class is designed to promote a sense of community and includes opportunities to explore questions experientially.
- Flipped classroom style to emphasize in-class discussions. The class is taught in a “flipped classroom” style, in which students watch a short faculty-taught lecture before class, leaving time for in-class activities and seminar-style discussion. Students therefore have a chance to directly dig into and discuss questions with a small group of students and professor.
- Small sections to encourage community. Each class is taught by an MIT faculty or instructor, and classes will have no more than 18 students. Recitations are generally led by undergraduate TAs, generally upperclassmen who have been involved with the course, and provide a chance to apply the week’s discussion to subject areas students are interested in. First-years therefore have mentorship from both professors and upperclassman students.
- Focus on interactive activities and simulations. Each week of the class is designed to include simulations and activities which help flesh out the lessons, such as a trial simulation, designing a class social contract, or designing a civil service exam for US Senators. In a small class environment, group activities such as these can build community and allow you to explore big questions through example, helping you apply theory to your daily life.
- Opportunities to attend local arts events. The class will also include a field trip to local arts events such as music festivals, operas, and theater shows so you can connect the questions you learn about to the broader arts community. Read more about how the class incorporates experiential learning and field trips in the “Class Logistics” section!
4. 21.01’s debate and discussion component encourages productive conversation across viewpoints.
In today’s polarized climate, open-minded discussion and debate are more important than ever. Discussing and disagreeing on big questions is one of the most important ways we can examine our beliefs. Talking to people with opposing viewpoints is especially important because it exposes us to new ideas, which can help us either realize our beliefs are wrong or learn to vigorously defend them.
In addition to encouraging conversation through its seminar format, Compass incorporates a constructive debate approach. During the semester, students gather in their recitations to disagree about topics related to the course, defend their viewpoints, listen to the arguments of others, and reexamine their beliefs through wrestling with opposing beliefs. Our goal throughout the course, and particularly through these debates, is to help you learn both how to defend your arguments and how to gracefully learn from the arguments of others.
As a CI-H, 21.01 includes components to improve your oral and written communication skills through a combination of close reading, writing assignments, and oral communication assignments.