MISC #3
I’m not
sure if this is appropriate to write about in my blog, but I wanted to mention
the format of the class and how much I have enjoyed it this semester. The
open-ended discussion is great, and the fact that we can come alongside our
professor and our fellow students as intellectual peers to talk about a variety
of different subjects is very refreshing. The fact that we do it at bars and
restaurants while enjoying drinks, food and the general atmosphere of the place
just amplifies the intimacy of the discussion. As Dr. Redick mentioned one
time, this type of meeting is in the same vein as those had by Lewis, Tolkien
and the Inklings in Oxford. While they haunted pubs like the Eagle and the
Child, we have to settle for Smoke BBQ down Warwick. But the spirit of the
meeting is the same, and I have loved that about this class.
A
couple summers ago I had the privilege to travel to Oxford with the Canon
Scholars for a couple weeks. I spent many nights visiting some of the same pubs
that Lewis had spent time in, and there has been nothing quite like the
experiences that I had in those establishments. There is something deeply
satisfying and invigorating about being in a place of such academic pedigree
and legend, coming together with people from all over the world in a quaint
pub, and having debate and discussion over any sort of topic together.
I’m
grateful that we were able to replicate this spirit to some extent in our PHIL
451 class. Far too often, I feel that our classes in the American University
have become somewhat robotic. The professor dispenses information. The students
memorize and regurgitate. There is very little real deep thought that goes into
it, and almost never is there the kind of academic camaraderie that we have
worked towards in our class. I hope that I can have more classes like this in
the future, and I hope that more professors will begin to utilize this format.
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