Learning Opportunities and Resources for Philosophy and Religion

The things we have to learn to do, we learn by doing them.

Aristotle, Nichomachean Ethics 2.1103a33

Language scholars have discovered that the word “experience” comes from the root *per, meaning both “to cross space” and “to test.” Bridgewater College believes that experience lies at the heart of a liberal arts education and thus encourages students to take their education beyond the classroom. The Philosophy and Religion department integrates a variety of experiential learning opportunities into its curriculum that allow students to “test” their ideas in the world. Whether participating in the Ethics Bowl to sharpen critical thinking skills, visiting churches, synagogues, and temples to understand the dimensions of contemporary religious life, or traveling to local farms to learn about sustainable agricultural practices, students have the chance to appreciate the practical implications of the theories and concepts they discuss in class.