M101 | Molecules, Memories, and Immortality: Reflecting on the Ends of Life | Tom Hodgson
Hybrid - Zoom and In-person at BCC Limit: 16, up to 14 in-person Closed Limit Reached |
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For the most part, we live moment to moment. And it is true, in an important sense, all we have is the present. But part of our present, increasingly as we age, is an awareness of the fact that each of us will die. Curiously, research on “subjective aging” reveals a significant disconnect between actual age and the reports people in various cultures give about how old they feel. Significant aging-related demographic shifts are occurring worldwide. What can honest reflection on aging, dying, and death do to help us understand the human condition and to help us to live more meaningful, memorable, even admirable lives?Through readings, guest speakers, and class discussions we will address questions including the following; How have various societies, cultures, religions, and thinkers, past and present, taken on aging, dying, and death? Does it make sense to distinguish between better and worse deaths? What insight or solace can art, literature, poetry, music, and comedy offer us in coming to terms with death? How might we, with our often longer lives, approach aging, dying, and death in ways that best serve our loved ones, our current societies, and future generations of living beings?
Tom Hodgson is an Instructor Emeritus of Philosophy at Phillips Academy. He holds a BA from Williams and an MA from Yale. Tom has taught a variety of in-person and online course with OLLI chapters at BCC and at Dartmouth. He has competed in five sports, coached five different high school varsity teams, and is currently an assistant squash coach at Williams. |
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