About the Project

Renee Descartes’ famous, “Cogito Ergo Sum,” translated to mean “I think, therefore I am,” arises as Project Cogito’s guiding principle. Project Cogito seeks, first and foremost, to promote thought — providing students with the material, and the techniques, with which they can begin to think creatively and critically. Instead of going against traditional classroom curricula, Project Cogito aims to expand on it by introducing students to foundational concepts and questions of the philosophical discipline. The purpose of this project is to create a space where students can not only begin to think critically, but also develop analytical skills, public speaking skills, the ability to communicate their ideas more effectively, and even an increased sense of confidence in their own abilities.

We understand that this endeavor would, necessarily, be a multi-modal one — and so Project Cogito will employ a variety of methods to realize its mission. This will include the Cogito Curriculum, an educational resource covering the foundations of Philosophy and philosophical thought: looking at concepts such as ethics, epistemology, free will, and identity, among others. It will further include the Cogito Classes, wherein the teachings of the curriculum will be delivered to students in fun, interactive, and thought-provoking ways. Since a goal of the project is to expand on extant educational curricula, the open-access Dubito Book List will feature a list of recommended books, essays, and readings that relate to Philosophy; with a focus on the texts covered in the Cogito Classes.

In addition to this tripartite educational endeavor, Project Cogito will feature a blog series that will enquire into the role of philosophy in the sciences: disciplines that are often considered poles apart. Over the course of twenty articles, it will look into the myriad intersections of STEM fields with philosophical thought. The purpose behind the blog series will be for these intersections, and modes of thinking, to become available to a wider audience so that no matter where the student may be, they too can reap the benefits of philosophical thought and analysis.