What does it mean to have good or bad taste in literature, music, fashion? People sometimes say they enjoy books they think are “bad” (like the Twilight series) and don't enjoy books they consider great (Moby-Dick or Paradise Lost). How is that possible? Is your own taste something unique about you, or does it reflect your social class, your education, age, or gender, ethnic or regional background? We'll read philosophers, sociologists, critics, and other writers to help us answer such questions. Throughout we'll consider what role taste may play in improving our writing. Can a qualitative, non-rule-bound form of judgment like taste help guide our intellectual lives and academic work? Or is taste too arbitrary and subjective to be intellectually useful?

Units: 1

Max Enrollment: 15

Prerequisites: None. Open only to first-year students.

Degree Requirements: WFY - First Year Writing

Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring