The Canon

Whether it is of mere presumption or intellectual fortitude, debates commonly involving Columbians are often unrestricted by specific events or moments in time. As a university and a community, we face dilemmas that have existed since 1754 and will encounter new dilemmas in the future even as the old dilemmas remain unresolved.

Epitomized in the Core Curriculum is the idea that there are questions we should repeatedly ask and constantly answer. While we may never come to firm resolutions, either collectively or individually, the belief is that there is some merit to the discussion itself.

This is why I created The Canon. I wanted to dedicate a space to these discussions. I wanted to begin thought about Columbia’s perennial problems in the pages of Spectator.

Yours,

Lanbo Zhang
Editorial Page Editor

Is Columbia an American University? Should it be?

• Internationally national by Mrinal Mohanka
  • An atypical American university by Kenneth Prewitt
    • America the beautiful by Rega Jha
      • Serving the US, serving the world by Derek Turner
        • Without borders by Esfandyar Batmanghelidj

          The Canon runs every other Wednesday and is dedicated to the discussion of Columbia's perennial problems. Its prompts feature questions that we should repeatedly ask and constantly answer. While we may never come to firm resolutions, either collectively or individually, the belief is that there is some merit to the discussion itself.