In this class, we will examine how various disciplines—art, poetry, philosophy, psychology, and science—approach the concept of the unknown. First, we will analyze and enjoy creative works on the themes of uncertainty, exploration, and unknowability by authors and artists including Robert Frost, Maya Angelou, Antonio Machado, Vincent Van Gogh, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Caspar David Friedrich. Next, we will discuss philosophers and psychologists’ insights on human engagement with the unknown across time, looking at excerpts from Plato’s dialogues, Descartes’ Meditations, and several modern psychological studies. Finally, we turn to science, tracing the evolution of the scientific method and learning about developments in quantum mechanics to illuminate the ways in which humanity grapples with the mysteries of the cosmos and the subatomic realm.

This class will explore the interconnectedness of artistic expression and mathematical reasoning through the world of trees. First, we will study poems about trees by Rilke, Robert Frost, Mary Oliver, and Padma Venkatraman, focusing on themes of growth, resilience, wonder, and the connection between humanity and the natural world. Next, we'll examine how trees have sparked human innovation over time, with a focus on tree diagrams used to organize knowledge and data. We will explore mathematical applications of tree diagrams in probability and combinatorics. Finally, we will appreciate and draw inspiration from famous artworks inspired by trees, and create some art of our own.