Don Browning looks serene as he contemplates the view from his corner office in Gambrell Hall. But this is a man who has kept a lively pace during an academic career spanning almost four decades, and after talking with him, it¿s clear he relishes every moment.

In today's highly divided political climate conversations concerning capital punishment, same-sex marriage, and abortion often result in heated debates. Does the U.S. Constitution guarantee gay and lesbian couples the right to marry? Should a fetus be granted the same rights as an adult woman? Is capital punishment 'cruel and unusual' in every circumstance?