Date and time is TBD
virtual
Does thinking about death lead to a good life?
⏱️ Preparation: Appx. 2 hours
📖 Reading
"The Death of Ivan Ilyich" by Leo Tolstoy A narrative of existential crisis, this text invites deep reflection on life’s value as Ivan Ilyich confronts his own mortality.Length: ~30 pages
"The Death of the Moth" by Virginia Woolf A brief but powerful essay, Woolf’s work uses the image of a moth’s final struggle to explore life’s fragility and the inevitability of death.Length: ~3 pages
🤔 Enduring Questions: What Will We Talk About?
How does thinking about death influence our understanding of a life well-lived?
Do Tolstoy and Woolf suggest that an awareness of mortality brings clarity to our values and choices?
How does the knowledge of death shape our ethical decisions and pursuit of meaning?
Can contemplating life’s end lead to deeper fulfillment in how we live?
Description
Join us for a thought-provoking Speakeasy session as we explore enduring questions about mortality and the ways we live with our understanding of death. Through the lens of two insightful works—Leo Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Virginia Woolf’s The Death of the Moth—we’ll examine how confronting mortality shapes our understanding of what it means to truly live.
In The Death of Ivan Ilyich, Tolstoy presents the existential reckoning of a man nearing the end of his life, raising timeless questions about the pursuit of meaning. Ivan Ilyich’s reflections on his choices prompt us to consider whether our focus on social success and material comfort distracts from cultivating deeper, more lasting values. Woolf’s The Death of the Moth offers a poetic meditation on life’s delicate balance between vitality and mortality, capturing the fleeting beauty of existence.
Both works inspire reflection on the philosophical implications of death: How does an awareness of our mortality guide our decisions and shape our pursuit of meaning and purpose? Can the contemplation of death help us live more fully, with clarity and intention?
This session will lead participants to consider how death informs a life well-lived.
Learn More
What are the expectations for preparation?
Do I need to have previous experience with the text or question?
What is a Speakeasy session like?
Wait! These enduring questions are a bit weighty. Will this actually be enjoyable?