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This study group provides an opportunity to explore fundamental philosophical problems surrounding death.

The Philosophy of Death study group provides an opportunity to ask questions such as: “What does it mean to die and who or what is the ‘person’ that dies? Is it merely a physical body, or is it also something like a soul, and, if so, does the existence of a soul indicate that there is some hope of immortality? What should our attitude toward death be and what effect should that have on the way we live our lives?” The study group uses a number of prominent philosophical and literary works—including those by Plato, Tolstoy, Montaigne, Jonathan Swift, Walter Kauffmann and Lucretius—to think about death philosophically.

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Runs Sept. 19, 2011 to Nov. 4, 2011
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Activity Wall Discussion #3 (Due 10/23, Follow-Up 10/26) [Sept. 18, 2011, 8:40 p.m.]

DISCUSSION #3 on ACTIVITY WALL

(Initial comments by October 23^rd; follow-up comments by October 26^th)

Core Readings:

Michel de Montaigne’s “That To Study Philosophy is to Learn to Die” essay

Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, Part III, Chapter X

Walter Kaufmann’s “Death without Dread” Essay

Lucretius’ On the Nature of Things: “Folly of the Fear of Death”

After completing Unit 3, please post your comments on the following philosophical issues on the P2PU Activity Wall for this study group:

Explain how one’s philosophical attitude about death affects one’s philosophical attitudes in life.
Argue for or against the moral and philosophical appropriateness of ending one’s own life.
Describe how philosophers and writers such as Lucretius, Montaigne, Swift, and Walter Kaufmann frame contemporary attitudes about death.

Post your initial comments on the P2PU Activity Wall by midnight (Eastern time) on October 23^rd Then, between October 23^rd and October 26^th please make certain to read the comments of other study group members and post a few follow-up comments that engage your colleagues’ comments. Please make sure to reply to the initial posts by midnight (Eastern time) on October 26^th.