Death: Exploring Mortality

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Taught by Ian Olasov

Ian Olasov teaches philosophy at Brooklyn College and Medgar Evers College and studies philosophy at the CUNY Graduate Center. His research is on how people talk about morality in everyday life. He also organizes Brooklyn Public Philosophers, a philosophy speaker and discussion series for a general audience. Outside of philosophy, Ian plays music, makes vegan food, and is available to pet and babble to your dogs, cats, and other animals, with or without an appointment.

This is an old class! Check out the current classes, or sign up for our mailing list to see if we'll offer this one again.

New date because of snow! Wednsday, February 25 from 6-8pm

How should I feel about my own mortality? In particular, does it make sense to fear death? How should the fact that I will die influence the sort of life I live?

Everybody asks these questions, but it can be terrifying (and awkward) to confront them head on. We'll explore some of the most compelling and influential philosophical thinking about death, from ancient philosophers like Epicurus and Lucretius to contemporary philosophers like Thomas Nagel and Derek Parfit.

Maybe you'll change your mind, maybe you'll get clearer about what you already thought. Either way, it won't kill you.

(class size: 15-20, lecture and discussion)

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