University of New England

“What can be said at all can be said
clearly, and what we cannot talk
about we must consign to silence.”
- Ludwig Wittgenstein

Philosophy asks questions like  "What is there?', 'What can be known?' and 'How should one live?"

These lead to other questions about the relationship between the mind and the body, appearance and reality, truth and opinion, right and wrong, freedom and determinism, the individual and society, human beings and nature, and God and the world.

To ask these questions is to examine our most basic beliefs about human existence and the world we live in. At the same time, philosophy does not provide pat answers, but claims with Socrates that the goal is to live "the examined life." For this reason, the study of philosophy cultivates the skills of clear thinking and effective argumentation.

Religious studies provides an historical and comparative understanding of the world's religious traditions. It examines spiritual beliefs, practices, and rituals in order to understand the importance of religious faith in providing a source of human value and meaning.

The Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies is located on the Univesrsity of New England's seaside University Campus in Biddeford, Maine. Explore the links to the left to find out more about our program.