What is EMC?
E=mc^2, or EMC, for short, is a unique class where we, the students, are given an opportunity to research our own topics of interest. Being a very self-driven class, we have "coordinators" who guide the thinking process -- unique to every student -- instead of traditional teachers who must fit one mold for an entire class. This course serves to provide more meaning and purpose to our education by providing an outlet for our innate curiosity in topics not traditionally taught in the classroom.
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You can check out the main course website here.
My Initial Topic
For this school year (2018-19), I would like to learn more about the intricacies of human thinking through Social Psychology, as well as the human Biology that is involved with this process. If possible, I would like to direct extra attention to the Biology portion of this topic.
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What exactly is human thinking? Is it something innate or is it perhaps ingrained upon us at a young age by a demanding society? If both, how does our thought process allow each and every one of us to vary on a wide spectrum through the Moral Foundations Theory? In September, these sample questions currently highlight my initial curiosity and starting point for this topic. However, as the year progresses, it is inevitable that I will meander off in different directions, pursuing what attracts my attention then like a moth to a flame. But that is to be expected and in fact, okay.
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It is my goal that after the conclusion of this school year, I will have experienced a whole new realm of learning previously locked behind the closed doors of "traditional education." I believe this class will prove to be a valuable experience and I thank my school as well as my coordinators, Mr. Bott and Mrs. Gergen, for offering such a unique opportunity.
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My Initial Topic
My Updated Topic
Towards around December, I realized that the topic listed above was simply too broad; there was no way to cover everything to a degree I would've been satisfied with.
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As a result, I concentrated all my efforts on purely the Moral Psychology aspect of my original topic by using moral psychologist Dr. Jonathan Haidt's book The Righteous Mind as a textbook of sorts.
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This year, I conducted a survey based off of the one Dr. Haidt described in The Righteous Mind and applied what I learned by creating a poster board, a podcast, and my own "pseudo-theory." Please check them out in the "Projects" tab of this website!
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New Beginnings
For the 2019-20 school year, I will be taking EMC again! However, I have yet to determine if I will stick with a similar topic or branch out to a completely new one. Regardless, please check out my new website here!