Philosophy & Religion

Is morality a human invention?  Is moral goodness "in the eye of the beholder" or are there objective moral values that apply to all? This course examines fundamental questions about the moral life: how do we decide what is right or wrong? What do we value and why? How should we live? Students will hone their ethical reasoning skills by examining how some of history's most influential thinkers answered these questions and considering how the ideas of those thinkers apply to pressing contemporary moral issues. Meets FILA Ethical Reasoning (E) requirement.

Examines fundamental themes of philosophy such as: the possibility and nature of knowledge; whether or not human beings are free; arguments for and against the existence of God; the nature of good and evil; what makes a good life; and mortality. FILA general education: philosophy or religion.

Examines pressing moral and philosophical questions that have become major political issues of our day. Problems considered include abortion, sexism, racism, drugs, privacy and censorship, civil disobedience, and others of interest to the group. FILA general education: philosophy or religion and ethical reasoning. Offered alternate years.

A systematic philosophical analysis of the major entertainment media of modern American culture aimed at determining the values reflected in and arising from popular movies, television, comics, music, and literature. Students select and research materials from the most popular national media, assessing the reasons for their extreme popularity. FILA general education: philosophy or religion and ethical reasoning.

Confronts a number of modern scientific and ethical problems including abortion, genetic testing, genetically modified plants and animals, stem cells, gene therapy, research on humans, and physician-assisted suicide. Biology and biotechnology often confound our notions of right and wrong, and what ethical behavior is. FILA general Education: philosophy or religion and ethical reasoning. Offered alternate years.

Examines fundamental questions in metaphysics, epistemology, aesthetics and ethics from both a philosophical and a theological perspective. Introduces methods and subjects of study in the disciplines of Philosophy and Religion. Designed and intended for students who are considering a minor in Philosophy and Religion. FILA general education: philosophy or religion. Offered on demand. (Cross-listed as REL-300)

Skills of reasoning for solving problems found in ordinary language, deductive and inductive formats, and in common fallacies. A brief introduction to symbolic logic, scientific method, and probability. FILA general education: philosophy or religion.

Examines significant ethical theories such as those based upon duty, the results of actions, virtue, the benefit of actions to self and the benefit of actions to others. We will examine primary texts from thinkers such as Aristotle, Mill, Kant and Nietzsche. FILA general education: philosophy and religion and ethical reasoning.

Pressing issues confronting professionals in a technological era. Utilizing the insights of philosophical and religious ethics, the course examines the responsibilities of the professional person in business, medicine, law education, the ministry, and other fields. Problems considered include confidentiality, accountability, whistleblowing, governmental regulation, and ethical codes. FILA general education: philosophy or religion and ethical reasoning.

Introduces ethical issues related to gender, race, and class. Surveys the development of identity-related critiques of traditional ethical theories and examines how the concept of "the good life" is related to identity. FILA general education: philosophy or religion, ethical reasoning and writing intensive. Offered alternate years.

Analyzes Germanic culture contributions by traveling to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Language, philosophical influences, and theological developments determine the itinerary for the course. Modern history from 16th century to the present suggest sites to be visited. FILA general education: world cultures. Offered on demand.

Analyzes the historical and cultural roots of Western culture with special concern for the religious and philosophical heritage. Fifteen days of travel are combined with the academic study of the historical sites, literature, art, and concepts of these extraordinary ancient civilizations. FILA general education: world cultures. Offered on demand.

This course examines selected philosophical and religious ideas and traditions from African, Latin American and Native American sources. Focusing on primary sources, students will address questions of identity, disciplinary borders, living the good life, metaphysics, epistemology, and relationships between humans and the earth. FILA general education: philosophy or religion. (Cross-listed as REL-330)

Traces the history of Western thought from its foundations with the Presocratic thinkers, Plato, and Aristotle, to its offspring in Hellenistic thought, and down to Medieval thought. FILA general education: philosophy or religion, ethical reasoning and writing intensive. Offered alternate years.

The primary works of thinkers from Descartes to Hegel are analyzed, and the historical relationship between those thinkers and their influence upon the Western world are examined. FILA general education: philosophy or religion and writing intensive. Offered alternate years.

Developments in the 20th and 21st century Western philosophy are analyzed using primary texts from both Analytic and Continental traditions. FILA general education: philosophy or religion and writing intensive. Offered alternate years.

Concepts and problems associated with theistic faith in the West. Areas of inquiry and reflection include: the relation of philosophy to religion, arguments for and against the existence of God, the problem of evil, the nature of religious experience (including miracles and mystical experience), the purpose and meaning of religious language, and the immortality of the soul. FILA general education: philosophy or religion. Offered on demand.

Interaction of philosophy and science that affects human understanding of the physical universe, life, the mind, and human values. Investigations are made into methods of research, physical evidence defining our universe, the principle of relativity, the uncertainty principle, predictive knowledge, and related topics. FILA general education: philosophy or religion and writing intensive. Offered alternate years.

Examines the historical development of environmental ethics in the U.S., major ethical approaches to contemporary environmental issues, and the application of those theories to particular topics such as ecojustice, biodiversity, and global warming. Readings will be drawn from a wide range of sources, from ancient scripture to current news reports. FILA general education: philosophy or religion and ethical reasoning.

A broad introduction to the field, familiarizes students with conflict and practical approaches to its transformation. Personal communication and conflict styles, negotiation skills, interpersonal mediation and facilitation of group decision-making and problem-solving strategies are examined. Participation in discussions, exercises, analyses, role-plays and simulations frame the course. In addition to the regularly scheduled meeting times, one Saturday session is included. (Cross-listed as SOC-367)

Analyzes philosophically the eras of the 20th century considered "modernism" and "postmodernism." Some key ideas of relativity, literary criticism, modern warfare, social norms, and ethical values from art, literature, sciences, social sciences, and philosophy. Authors from the movements called existentialism, structuralism, deconstructionism, feminism, pragmatism, et al. FILA general education: philosophy or religion and writing intensive. Offered alternate years.

Provides an opportunity for a student to gain field experience in an area related to the student's program of study or career goals. The learning objectives for internships include connecting academic knowledge and problem-solving processes to experiences and problems in professional settings. Supervision of an intern is provided by an appropriate faculty member and by a site supervisor of the agency or business in which the student is an intern. A student who wishes to engage in an internship must consult with the appropriate faculty member at least eight weeks in advance of the start of the term in which the internship is to be completed. A description of the internship, signed by the student and the faculty sponsor, must be filed with the director of internships by the first day of the semester prior to the start of the internship. Approval of each application for an internship is made by the director of internships based upon approved policies and guidelines. Internships are graded on an S or U basis. Students must complete 120 hours of internship-related work as well as weekly journal entries and a final reflective paper completed in accordance with approved requirements. A student may enroll in an internship program for 3 credits per semester, and internship credit may be earned in subsequent semesters subject to the limitations that no more than two internships may be pursued in any one agency or business and a maximum of 9 credits in internships may be applied toward graduation. FILA general education: experiential learning.

A survey of religious practices and perspectives regarding the natural world. It considers such questions as: What are the differences between "creation," "the environment," and "biophysical reality"? Is matter more real than spirit? What are the differences and similarities among religious ideas about human-nonhuman relationships? Are religions to blame for environmental degradation, or can they offer resources for sustainable living? Where is the sacred in relation to nature? A selection of Western, Eastern, and indigenous religious perspectives will be included. FILA general education: philosophy or religion.

The objective of this course is to introduce to 1) the variety of intellectual disciplines by means of which religions may be studied and 2) the basic concepts that make up a religious worldview, including concepts of the sacred, religious symbolism, myth, doctrine, ritual, soteriology, and ethics. A central question of the course is how and to what degree these concepts and practices cross over between world religions, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Chinese traditions, Japanese traditions, and secular humanism. The professor will acquaint students with a variety of methodologies within the field of Religious Studies, from theological, literary, and historical to anthropological, sociological, and phenomenological approaches. A handful of films will be screened that illustrate particular concepts, practices, and struggles within several religious traditions. FILA general education: philosophy or religion and experiential learning.

This course teaches foundational beliefs and practices related to interfaith peace within multiple religious traditions. It also teaches theories and practices within the interfaith movement, giving students the skills to contribute to interfaith understanding. Students will engage remotely with students form other religions at international or American colleges, working together to create an interfaith dialogue event. The course builds interreligious competence in students who are interested in Global Studies and Peace Studies. FILA general education: global dynamics and experiential learning.

Christian beginnings with emphasis upon the literature and thought of the early Christian community. Introduces information and skills necessary for examining the New Testament documents and their relevance in the history of Western culture. FILA general education: philosophy or religion.

Studies six contemporary films that depict encounters between members of several world religions including Native American, Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, Shinto, Hindu and Muslim traditions. Explores inter-religious expressions from curiosity to resentment and hostility to reconciliation within the context of historical, political and inter-cultural crises and evolutions. FILA general education: world cultures.

Provides extraordinary opportunities for Bridgewater students to meet a broad range of Israelis and Palestinians and learn about their individual perspectives and shared challenge of finding peace in the religion. They will listen, learn, dialogue and do volunteer work with others. Students will meet Israeli Jews and Arabs, Palestinian Christians and Muslims, rabbis, imams, IDF soldiers, settlers and many peacemakers. FILA general education: global dynamics and experiential learning. Offered alternate years.

Examines fundamental questions in metaphysics, epistemology, aesthetics and ethics from both a philosophical and a theological perspective. Introduces methods and subjects of study in the disciplines of philosophy and religion. Designed and intended for students who are considering a minor in Philosophy and religion. FILA general education: philosophy or religion. Offered on demand. (Cross-listed as PHIL-300)

The person and significance of Jesus as understood in his own time and throughout history. Examines literature, art, and film to appreciate how the perceptions of Jesus change and develop within various social and historical contexts. FILA general education: philosophy or religion. Offered alternate years.

An exploration of the scientific field of archaeology as it relates to the religions, cultures and literature of ancient Israel and early Christianity. Through lectures, extensive video material and a field trip, this course critically examines the history, methodologies, discoveries and controversies of biblical archaeology in the Middle East. FILA general education: world cultures.

The history, sociology, and archaeology of Palestine as these disciplines relate to the literature, religions, and cultures of ancient Hebrew society and early Christianity. Following the first week of study on campus, two weeks are devoted to visiting sites of biblical and religious importance in Israel and Jordan. FILA general education: world cultures. Offered on demand.

Examines visionary literature written by women from late antiquity to the 15th century. Steeped in Neo-Platonic philosophical assumptions, it is literature written about religious experience, an attempt to express the inexpressible. As such, it is very unlike the more narrative, expository, speculative or technical styles of writing commonly encountered in the academic setting. Students of visionary literature must continue to think critically while offering unbiased and serious consideration to experiences very unlike their own. Medieval women's devotional literature offers valuable insight into specific gender roles, lifestyles, societal expectations, and religious practices in a time long past. In the same instance, it reaches out across time and addresses the nature of the human condition in any social, cultural or historical setting. FILA general education: philosophy or religion and writing intensive.

Introduction to Christianity, surveying all three historical traditions: Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant. Special emphasis on social and political structures of the church, and issues in theology and ethics from the Apostolic Age to the resent. FILA general education: World Cultures. (Cross-listed as HIST-317)

A critical survey of ethical perspectives ad issues in the thought and practices of several religious traditions. FILA general education: philosophy or religion and ethical reasoning.

From its beginning to the present day. Emphasis upon understanding the church today in light of its historical development with a special focus on Brethren doctrines and practices. Offered on demand.

Explores the power of Biblical interpretations to influence, control and mobilize readers. Focuses on the evolution of basic interpretive rules and assumptions about how to interpret Biblical passages, and also the changing contexts and objectives of Biblical interpretation from Jesus' readings of the Hebrew Bible through scholarly approaches that developed post-Enlightenment. Primary sources include divergent interpretations of passages, infamous sermons and political speeches. FILA general education: philosophy or religion and experiential learning. Offered alternate years.

History, literature and faith of the Hebrew people as revealed in the study of specific topics in Hebrew Scriptures. Designated material in the Hebrew Bible will be examined through the insights of literary analysis, archaeology, anthropology and historical criticism with special emphasis on interpretive methods. FILA general education: philosophy or religion.

Studies literature inspired by the Bible. Reading and writing about how religious ideas are expressed in literature, how authors use specific biblical stories in their novels, and how various authors may differ in their retellings of the same story. FILA general education: literature & writing intensive. Offered alternate years. (Cross-listed as ENG-327W)

This course examines selected philosophical and religious ideas and traditions from African, Latin American and Native American sources. Focusing on primary sources, students will address questions of identity, disciplinary borders, living the good life, metaphysics, epistemology, and relationships between humans and the earth. FILA general education: philosophy or religion. (Cross-listed as PHIL-330)

Introduction to Christian theology. The central doctrines of the Christian faith examined in the context of their historical development. Various interpretations of those doctrines in contemporary theology are evaluated. FILA general education: philosophy or religion and writing intensive. Offered alternate years.

The formative period of thought for contemporary Catholic and Protestant Christianity. Thinkers include representative scholastics, the Humanists, Luther, Zwingli and the Anabaptists, Calvin, and the Catholic Reform expressed in the Councils from Constance to Trent. FILA general education: philosophy or religion and writing intensive. Offered alternate years.

Critical reading and discussion of writings of representative, contemporary, academic theologians (including Barth, Bonhoeffer, Cone, Gutierrez, Kung, and Schussler Fiorenza) with a view to developing and awareness of basic issues and patterns in present theological thinking. FILA general education: philosophy or religion and writing intensive. Offered alternate years.

Biblical, historical, and social attitudes toward violence and peace including a study of political, social, and scientific factors that affect violence at the interpersonal, and through war at the international levels of human and interfaith experience. A seminar approach is used. FILA general education: philosophy or religion and ethical reasoning.

Major living religions of the Near East stressing a sympathetic understanding of the illumination, which is provided the adherents of each for daily living, as well as some of the cultural expressions of each in those societies where they flourish. Religions studied include Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. FILA general education: world cultures. Offered alternate years.

Major living religions of the Far East stressing a sympathetic understanding of the illumination, which is provided the adherents of each for daily living, as well as some of the cultural expressions of each in those societies where they flourish. Religions studied include Hinduism, Buddhism, and native Chinese religion. FILA general education: world cultures. Offered alternate years.

Survey of American religious history with a focus on origins and diversity. Major topics include Puritanism, Revivalism, Mormonism, Methodism, African-American religion, fundamentalism Catholicism, Judaism and religion during the Cold War. Offered alternate years. (Cross-listed as HIST-365)

Personal and social ethical issues from the perspective of contemporary writings of Christian ethicists. Normative and contextual approaches. An examination of the relationship between religion and culture. FILA general education: philosophy or religion, ethical reasoning and writing intensive. Offered on demand.

Provides an opportunity for a student to gain field experience in an area related to the student's program of study or career goals. The learning objectives for internships include connecting academic knowledge and problem-solving processes to experiences and problems in professional settings. Supervision of an intern is provided by an appropriate faculty member and by a site supervisor of the agency or business in which the student is an intern. A student who wishes to engage in an internship must consult with the appropriate faculty member at least eight weeks in advance of the start of the term in which the internship is to be completed. A description of the internship, signed by the student and the faculty sponsor, must be filed with the director of internships by the first day of the semester prior to the start of the internship. Approval of each application for an internship is made by the director of internships based upon approved policies and guidelines. Internships are graded on an S or U basis. Students must complete 120 hours of internship-related work as well as weekly journal entries and a final reflective paper completed in accordance with approved requirements. A student may enroll in an internship program for 3 credits per semester, and internship credit may be earned in subsequent semesters subject to the limitations that no more than two internships may be pursued in any one agency or business and a maximum of 9 credits in internships may be applied toward graduation. FILA general education: experiential learning.