The Art of Living
| Faculty | Post-Doctoral Fellows |
|---|---|
Joshua Landy, |
Phillip Horky Andrew Hui Kimberly Lewis Laura Maguire Anne Pollok Patricia Slatin |
Kenneth Taylor, Department of Philosophy |
|
Lanier Anderson, Department of Philosophy |
Text Selections
Plato, Symposium
William Shakespeare, Hamlet
Søren Kierkegaard, Fear and Trembling
Friederich Nietzsche, The Gay Science
Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon
Course Description
Whether we realize it or not, all of us are forced to make a
fundamental choice: by deciding what is most valuable to
us, we decide how we are going to live our life. We may opt for
a life of reason and knowledge; one of faith and discipline; one
of nature and freedom; one of community and altruism; or one
of originality and style. We may even choose to live our lives as
though they were works of art. In every case, hard work is required: our lives are not just
given to us, but need to be made. To live well is, in fact, to practice an art of living.
Where, however, do such ideals come from? How do we adopt and defend them? What is required to put them into practice? What do we do when they come into conflict with one another? And what role do great works of art play in all this? “The Art of Living” will explore the various ways in which it is possible to live well and beautifully, what it takes to implement them, and what happens when they come under pressure from inside and out.