Description

We live in a world of abundant possibility. More than at any other time in history, people are free to choose how to live. But with this luxury of choice comes the burden of decision. How do I know if I’m living right? And how might I find meaning in my life at all?

In the first half of this course, we confront the question of meaning head-on. We examine arguments that life is fundamentally absurd and consider proposals for how we might find meaning in the modern world. In the second half of the course, we look at thinkers who draw inspiration from ancient traditions and adapt them to the demands of the modern world.

Course content:

• Session 1: The absurd: Albert Camus and Thomas Nagel
• Session 2: Existentialism: Jean-Paul Sartre
• Session 3: The Sovereignty of Good: Iris Murdoch
• Session 4: Meaning in Life: Susan Wolf
• Session 5: Games and Utopia: Bernard Suits
• Session 6: The Impersonal as Sacred: Simone Weil
• Session 7: Nonviolence: Mohandas Gandhi
• Session 8: Engaged Buddhism: Thich Nhat Hanh
• Session 9: Japanese Aesthetics: Yuriko Saito
• Session 10: An Indigenous Approach to the Global Crisis: E. Richard Atleo