This course introduces students to the best that has been thought and said throughout the centuries. Students will read texts from the ancient Greeks up to selections from contemporary literature. The class is discussion based, with writing as the primary form of assessment. By reading and discussing the great books, students will learn how to discern the truth, how to distinguish it from error, and how to defend it. At the end of this course, students will have had direct interaction with a variety of texts, have written for a variety of purposes and audiences, and will have had multiple opportunities to experience authentic, engaging discussions, both formal and informal in nature.