http://oyc.yale.edu/philosophy/death/
philosophy of death:
About the Course
There is one thing I can be sure of: I am going to die. But what am I to make of that fact? This course will examine a number of issues that arise once we begin to reflect on our mortality. The possibility that death may not actually be the end is considered. Are we, in some sense, immortal? Would immortality be desirable? Also a clearer notion of what it is to die is examined. What does it mean to say that a person has died? What kind of fact is that? And, finally, different attitudes to death are evaluated. Is death an evil? How? Why? Is suicide morally permissible? Is it rational? How should the knowledge that I am going to die affect the way I live my life? view class sessions >>
Course Structure:
This Yale College course, taught on campus twice per week for 50 minutes, was recorded for Open Yale Courses in Spring 2007.
i like the question: 'how could death be bad for something that does not exist?'
ReplyDeletecommon views that i am excited to hear how he debunks:
we have a soul were not just bodies.
will we survive our death?
death robs of us immortality
suicide: immoral/irrational
this was a pretty intro lecture. not much to chew on. and that beeping in the background was driving me nuts!
-stephen
I'm glad that you felt the same way about the beeping in the background! If I was there in person I would have yelled at those workers.
ReplyDeleteI'm concerned about him saying that he is going to present and defend his point of view. I hope he doesn't push, or force his bias upon us.
~Tim
sadly he starts to. not in a negative way, i just think he should have saved his opinions till the end of the whole class!
ReplyDeletei think that the class sounds rather interesting. his personal view is very different than what most people believe and i am interested to see how he develops his opinion and argues his opinion. it should be interesting. while i think its a good exercise to argue a particular point i do not like that he said he is going to try and convince the class of his own beliefs because they are right, i prefer an instructor who presents an argument and is there to learn with and from the students and grow from the discussion as opposed to a hard headed one trying to force his own beliefs.
ReplyDeleteDeath has several lines ... Often we are alive physically but dead in another way in our lives.
ReplyDeleteI am going to be spending some of my summer listening to his lectures. I'm curious to hear what is said about death (whether by the professor or by writers and other philosophers throughout history).
ReplyDeleteI wish more professors would do such things as post their lectures online...
so many questions he has asked and wants answers for...all you have to do is open a bible and your heart
ReplyDelete