26-H103 Searching for a Meaningful Life: How Philosophers have Navigated Times of Personal Crisis – Daniel Greenways
$55.00
When you think back on life, how can you tell if it was meaningful or not? Is a meaningful life supposed to feel different than one that was not quite as meaningful? Since ancient times, philosophers have offered countless descriptions of ‘the good life.’ Some say it is a life of pleasure; others describe it as an ethical life. Some imagine the good life as something effortless and natural, while others make it seem like a lifelong challenge, maybe even impossible to achieve. One common thread is that these accounts all reflect back on a common human experience — the crisis of meaning. In this class, we will examine this crisis in order to consider different ideas about the good life. From the stoics to the existentialists, we will peer into our own lives from the philosopher’s vantage point and give some colour to the big question: “What is a meaningful life?”
Instructor: Daniel Greenways
Daniel is a sessional lecturer at the University of Alberta where he teaches an undergraduate philosophy course at St. Joseph’s College. He holds a Research Master in Metaphysics and Philosophy of Culture from the Higher Institute of Philosophy at KU Leuven, in Belgium. He grew up in Edmonton and studied at the U of A. Outside of academic work, Daniel has worked in inter-governmental, para-parliamentary, municipal and non-governmental roles. From 2021-2023 he was a consultant with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in Paris, where he advised on the use of impact-linked finance in Sustainable Development programs.
