I sat in a packed auditorium eagerly waiting to hear Mark Johnson, a retired professor of philosophy at the University of Oregon, speak as this year’s Crom Visiting Philosopher. As Johnson walked to the podium, the audience quieted in anticipation of his presentation. Johnson’s lecture, entitled “Embodied Mind, Meaning, and Thought,” addressed the theory that thought is influenced by experiences in the world, and that the body influences the mind. In his presentation, he read poems and showed videos of his granddaughter to explain these theories of cognition through his personal experiences. But this wasn’t my first interaction with Mark Johnson that week.

My first impression of Professor Johnson came during a lunch for philosophy and cognitive science majors. I found him in the Sanger Center for the Sciences already in conversation with other students. His soft-spoken responses to questions reflected a deep understanding of his field. As a philosophy minor, I was one of a dozen or so students invited to the residency event, where we could talk to him about his research in cognitive science while eating Jimmy John’s wraps. This kind of opportunity to engage with experts in a relaxed atmosphere is not uncommon at Beloit College. Having been to the last two Crom residencies, I knew it was worthwhile to take advantage of the chance to talk with experts one-on-one about what they are working on and how it affects the world we live in today.

Over the course of two days, Johnson visited eight classes, ranging from cognitive science to political science. By the time I, and other students, arrived at the auditorium, we had time to process his ideas, ask questions, and listen to each other’s interpretations. The multiple residency events opened up a new perspective for me about how humans see and interact with the world.

“There is no ‘you’ without your brain, your body, and an environment that your body can interact with,” Johnson says. “Cognition is happening in every environment, even in the most minute of choices.”

I remembered rock climbing with my father as a child while Johnson explained “Source-Path-Goal,” a way our brains connect actual movement and abstract concepts. I could see the crevasses in the rock and the way I chose my path forward. Sometimes I fell off the rock face and onto my father’s crash pad. This physical experience taught me about goal setting, taking action, getting back up, and that my family supported me when needed. I was inspired to continue research into the effect of past experiences using these cognitive science schemas.

After the lecture, I spoke to the organizer of this year’s Crom Visiting Philosopher program, cognitive science professor Robin Zebrowski, who worked with Johnson at the University of Oregon. I asked her why she believes the Beloit residencies are important.

“They’re a resource for delivering information and experience to our students,” she said, “and I don’t think there’s anything that can replace them.”

After meeting with Professor Johnson in person throughout his residency and gaining a new understanding of the impact of our experiences on our thoughts, I have to agree with her.

Mark Johnson delivers his lecture on embodied cognition.