One session course: Can thinking about death lead to a good life? Kübler-Ross & documentary "A Flight from Death"
This class is the third in a six-session series on the question: Can thinking about death lead to a good life?
Students are welcome to attend this class if they didn’t attend the first two sessions. Learn more about the series. We will refer back to previous class discussions, and new students will be included in the conversation.
This class session:
In this course, we will delve into death's philosophical, ethical, and cultural implications and how it shapes our understanding of life. We will examine the concept of mortality and how it influences our personal values and perspectives on life.
Students will read three (relatively short) works:
“A Beginner’s Guide to the End “by BJ Miller and Shoshana Berger (Chapter 3)
“On Death & Dying” by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, M.D. (Approx 300 pages)
Watch: “Flight from Death” (Documentary film)
About the readings:
"On Death & Dying" by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, M.D. is a seminal work in the field of death and dying. Through interviews with terminally ill patients, Kübler-Ross presents a groundbreaking study of the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. She illuminates the psychological and emotional processes of facing death, and provides a framework for understanding the many ways in which people come to terms with their mortality.
The book has been an influential guide for both medical professionals and laypeople for decades, and has had a significant impact on contemporary thought on death and dying. It remains a classic in the field, offering valuable insights into the complexities of the human experience and the universal process of confronting mortality.
"A Flight from Death" is a thought-provoking documentary that explores the concept of death and its impact on human behavior. Based on the groundbreaking work of cultural anthropologist Ernest Becker, the film argues that the fear of death is a fundamental driving force behind many human behaviors, including violence, war, and intolerance.
Through interviews with leading experts in psychology, philosophy, and sociology, as well as compelling footage of real-world events, "A Flight from Death" examines the ways in which individuals and societies cope with the inevitability of death. The film offers a fresh perspective on topics such as terrorism, racism, and religious extremism, shedding new light on the underlying psychological and emotional motivations behind these phenomena.
Ultimately, "A Flight from Death" offers a powerful and deeply moving reflection on the human condition, and how our fear of death shapes our lives and our relationships with others.
“A Beginner’s Guide to the End" is a practical and accessible guidebook that offers advice and insights on navigating the end of life. In Chapter 2, we will explore the topic of "Navigating the Unknown," which offers guidance on navigating the uncertainties and complexities of death and dying.
Throughout this course, we will engage in lively and thought-provoking discussions about these texts and how they relate to our own experiences and perspectives on death and the good life. By exploring these challenging questions, we will better understand ourselves and our place in the world and how we can find meaning and purpose in the face of mortality.
Class Date & Time
Sunday, April 23, 2023
4:00-6:00 PM PST
What makes life worth living in the face of death? Is denying death or paying our mortality lip service the best we can hope for? Death is one of the few absolute commonalities that we share. As a universal event, death transcends differences between us. We have a beginning and an end; we are born, and we inevitably die. How is it possible that most of us get to the end of our lives feeling surprised by our mortality and unprepared to deal with the decisions that need to be made?
It may be scary for some people to commit to this course. In fact, thanatophobia, the fear of death, is, according to many mental health professionals, no more rational than a fear of heights or spiders. Yet, so many of us fear death, whether rational or not.
Many ancient cultures required people to look at and think about death throughout life. These practices, known as Memento Mori (reflecting on mortality), were designed to incorporate death into life. Sufis tradition encouraged people to frequent graveyards to face death and ponder mortality. Early Buddhists practiced maraṇasati, the spiritual ritual of “remembering death.” Socrates said philosophy is “about nothing but dying and being dead.” This class series provides a space for Memento Mori in our otherwise busy and present-focused lives.
In this course, we’ll wonder how to construct a life with the clear realization of our mortality. Maybe we’ll think differently about our life choices when we work to neutralize the fear of death.
We will grapple with the ways tradition, culture, and religion shape how we think about mortality.
We’ll dig into enduring questions about death and dying to guide our class discussions.
What do we think about when we think of dying?
Can we ever truly accept the reality of our mortality?
What do we want most from this life? Do our ambitions and priorities change when we accept mortality?
Does thinking about death help us to live more fully?
Would immortality be good for us?
What Is the best attitude to take toward our mortality?
How does death affect the meaningfulness and meaning of our lives?
What if thinking deeply and talking about death doesn’t make life pointless but rather purposeful and vibrant?
This course will provoke, support, and encourage students to sit with the reality of our mortality and engage with ideas about death and dying through literature, nonfiction, and film.
A note about the practical aspects of the course:
Unlike other Premise courses, this course has a practical component alongside our philosophical approach. We’ll work through the workbook A Beginner's Guide to the End: Practical Advice for Living Life and Facing Death by Dr. BJ Miller and Shoshana Berger, and we’ll share updates on our progress for