Existentialism Five Ways looks at how the central concerns of existentialism, which are often seen as a product of modernity, emerged centuries earlier — as soon as humanity began to reflect on the ordeal of being human. There are many forms of artistic expression that confront these inescapable problems, and almost all of these arrive at radically different solutions. Together we will read scripture, theater, essays, poetry, and prose.
This seminar uses a variety of great works to illustrate the power and persistence of existential thinking. There is an emphasis on 20th-century philosophy, but the philosophical selections are short, as are the other writings, many of which are contained in Kaufmann’s anthology. Selections will be paired together, and time will be devoted to a comparing and contrasting them. Truly, a multidisciplinary extravaganza!
The seminar is part of the larger Toronto Pursuits festival hosted at the University of Toronto. Registration in this event includes the 5-day seminar, a Toronto Summer Music Festival concert ticket , our welcome cocktail reception with an open bar, coffee and newspapers all week, five buffet lunches, afternoon speakers, film screenings, and a range of other cultural and social activities.
For full details please see the Toronto Pursuits page at https://www.classicalpursuits.com/toronto-pursuits/
