As part of my introduction to the university, I am meeting as many students, faculty, staff and alumni – both in groups and individually – as I can. Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting individually with Peter Herman and Angelo Corlett, two of our leading scholars in the Humanities. Peter is a Milton scholar who has led a national movement to reconsider classical views of Milton. Angelo is a Philosopher and Ethicist who is grappling with how to apply classical ethical frameworks to contemporary challenges. He is also the editor of one of the world’s leading ethics journals, one of many top journals headquartered at San Diego State. Both discussions were interesting and wide-ranging, considering a number of issues in the disciplines, as well as broader issues that impact the university. The broad, integrative character of these discussions emphasizes the central role of the humanities, and the many forms of reasoning it integrates, in our efforts to use our research and creative endeavors to address societal challenges.
