UCSBPlat.com directly in your GOLD Try it Now

A humanities-based interdisciplinary course on the problems and issues of first contact and interactions between humanity and non-Terran entities. What do the histories, experiences, and interactions of humans with other humans, animals, plants, AI?s and postulated superhuman beings reveal about our limitations, biases and opportunities in the preparations for first contact? How might the humanities (religious studies, literature, history, philosophy, ethics, etc.) contribute to the protocols and thinking about first contact that move beyond scientific, pragmatic and anthropocentric western paradigms of rational knowledge and subjectivity.

No Prerequisites

4

Units

Optional

Grading

1, 2, 3

Passtime

None

Level Limit

Letters and science

College
Rudy Busto
4.1
51 reviews
See All
RG ST 190FC Busto R V Winter 2023 Total: 28
RG ST 190FC Busto R V Winter 2020 Total: 27
See All
51
4.1
RGST190FC . 2 Years Ago

One of the best classes ever taken! The assigned readings were a few page articles that were about very interesting topics. The grading was very light and not about how good the paper was but that you followed his guidelines. He gave you the option of what kind of final you can write. A lot of creative liberty and room for open-minded discussion.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
RGST190FC . 5 Years Ago

I took his First Contact class, and honestly it was one of the most fun upper divs I could have taken. The only thing is that he didn't use gauchospace to input grades throughout the quarter, so my only knowledge of my grades was from the hardcopy papers he would pass back. He respects the class's opinions and as long as you try you will do well.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
ASAM71 . 2 Months Ago

Just show up to lecture and pay attention and you'll get an A. The guy gives out extra credit opportunities like its candy. Skim the readings. You can really tell he's passionate about the material.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
ASAM71 . 4 Months Ago

Not too bad if you go to class. Prof is a bit uptight about attendance and will go above and beyond to get people to show up even though attendance is not required for lectures. Overall not too bad but be prepared to got to lecture most of the time

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
ASAM71 . 5 Months Ago

sleazy and unprofessional!! do not recommend this prof/class

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
ASAM71 . 5 Months Ago

Horrible professor!! Very unprofessional and disorganized. Will go to extreme lengths to make sure students fail

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
See all 51 reviews
RG ST 188B
14 / 30 Enrolled
Seminar in Civic Engagement and Deliberative Democracy
Marsano V L
M
15:00 PM - 17:50 PM
84.6% A
RG ST 195
0 / 10 Enrolled
Senior Honors Thesis
T B A
75.0% A
RG ST 198IS
0 / 12 Enrolled
Iranian Studies Digital Internship
Janet Afary 3.6
100.0% A
RG ST 199
0 / 20 Enrolled
Independent Studies in Religion
T B A
93.5% A
RG ST 199PL
0 / 20 Enrolled
Persian Language Independent Study
T B A
100.0% A
RG ST 199RA
0 / 10 Enrolled
Independent Research Assistance
T B A
87.5% A