# Reason & Rationality — Complete Content Reference # Last Updated: 2026-08-06 --- ## Homepage Reason & Rationality is a selective, residential summer program for intellectually curious teens (rising 9th grade through graduating high school seniors). Students engage in lively, small-group discussions around twenty core topics in philosophy, economics, politics, and decision-making, taught by Ph.D. students and young professors from Princeton, Harvard, and other leading philosophy programs. Founded in 2023 by Peter Bach-y-Rita (Ph.D., MIT; J.D., Stanford; A.B., Princeton). Key programs: Foundation Program (open enrollment, 2-week or 1-week), Advanced Program (returning students only, 2-week). --- ## Foundation Program URL: /program-foundation.html The Foundation Program immerses high school students in lively, small-group discussions around twenty core topics in philosophy, economics, politics, and decision-making. The two-week program emphasizes serious but playful intellectual conversation — testing ideas in real time, revising views with humility, and continuing discussions beyond the classroom. Eligibility: Students entering 9th grade through graduating high school seniors (as of 2027). Preference for full 2-week applicants; single-week option available. Sessions (Princeton, Summer 2027): - Session 1: June 6 – June 19, 2027 - Session 2: June 19 – July 2, 2027 - Session 3: July 5 – July 17, 2027 - Session 4: July 18 – July 30, 2027 Tuition: - 2-week boarding: $7,600 (Early Bird $6,900 before March 1, 2027) - 1-week boarding: $5,000 (Early Bird $4,600) - 2-week day student: $6,600 (Early Bird $5,900) - 1-week day student: $4,500 (Early Bird $4,100) - Single room supplement: $1,000 - Deposit: $1,000 (refundable if not accepted) - Oral Exam Contest: $800 additional (2-week students only) Tuition covers all classes, activities, and meals. Boarding includes campus housing. Sample Topics: Free will and determinism, probabilistic arguments for the existence of God, legitimacy of democratic political institutions, cost-benefit analysis and utility maximization. Oral Exam Contest: Follows Princeton undergraduate oral examination methods. Benjamin Morison, Chair of Princeton University Philosophy Department, joins the 2027 judging panel. Refund Policy: Full refund through March 15, 2027. March 16-April 8: tuition above deposit fully refundable, deposit non-refundable. April 9-May 15: tuition above deposit 50% refundable. --- ## Advanced Program URL: /program-advanced.html A 2-week intensive exclusively for returning Reason & Rationality students. Tackles 20 more complex philosophical, economic, and ethical issues including: the meaning of life, objectivity and subjectivity of value, the existence of free will, and current ethical and political debates. Same four Princeton sessions as Foundation Program. --- ## Faculty URL: /faculty.html Six instructors from top philosophy Ph.D. programs. All live on campus and participate beyond class time. Peter Bach-y-Rita — Ph.D., MIT (Philosophy); J.D., Stanford Law School; A.B., Princeton University (highest honors). Dissertation at intersection of ethics, biology, and technology. Published on intellectual property, bankruptcy law, and legal causation. Co-founded Reason & Rationality in 2023. Joe Schmid — BA Philosophy with highest distinction, Purdue University. Philosophy Ph.D. student, Princeton University. Published 16 articles on metaphysics, philosophy of religion, and ethics in leading peer-reviewed journals. Author of "Existential Inertia and Classical Theistic Proofs" and "The Majesty of Reason." YouTube channel "Majesty of Reason" with nearly 1.5 million views. Noah McKay — Ph.D. student in philosophy, Princeton University. BA philosophy, Covenant College (summa cum laude); MSc philosophy, University of Edinburgh (First Class Honours). Published peer-reviewed articles on epistemology, metaethics, and philosophy of religion. Presented at about a dozen conferences. Seven years of high school debate coaching. Florence Bacus — Philosophy Ph.D. student, Harvard University. BS mathematics and physics, University of Michigan (2018); MA philosophy, Tufts University (2020). Research on rational agency, free will, and foundations of ethics, influenced by Kant's moral theory. Sophia Wyatt — Undergraduate degree, University of Chicago (2021). Entered Ph.D. program at University of Chicago, Fall 2025. Interests in ethics and epistemology, particularly at their intersection. Sagar Rao — Ph.D. student, Joint Program in Philosophy and Religion, Princeton University. BA Philosophy and Biology with Highest Honors, Swarthmore College. Studied at Rangjung Yeshe Institute Center for Buddhist Studies, Kathmandu. Focus on history of philosophy in South Asia, epistemology, philosophy of religion, and Buddhist philosophy. --- ## FAQ Highlights URL: /faq.html Who is it for? High school students who love critical thinking and conversation. Designed for authentic curiosity, critical thinking, and verbal dexterity. What makes it different? Small-group conversation and debate, not lectures. Faculty engage with students outside class. 5:1 student-to-instructor ratio. Emphasis on intellectual humility and convivial discourse. Financial aid? Yes — tuition grants available. Contact info@reasonandrationality.com. Accommodations: College dorm rooms (singles or doubles). Linens included. 5:1 student-to-staff supervision ratio with staff living in same halls. All meals included. Preparation: No substantial advance work required. Short pre-program videos and readings are emailed a few weeks before. --- ## About URL: /about.html Founded in 2023 as a pilot by Peter Bach-y-Rita for graduating students of San Francisco's Cathedral School for Boys. Curriculum focuses on moral reasoning, probability, models of social incentives, and acculturating students into serious intellectual conversation. Today, a selective residential summer program for intellectually curious students who want to engage the biggest questions about life, society, and human meaning.