“Why.” A photo by Jordan Condon. (Image courtesy of Jordan Condon. Source: Wikimedia Commons. License CC BY.)
Instructor(s)
Prof. Graham Jones
Prof. Heather Paxson
MIT Course Number
21A.157
As Taught In
Spring 2019
Level
Undergraduate
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Course Description
Course Features
Course Description
This course examines how a variety of cultural traditions propose answers to the question of how to live a meaningful life. It considers the meaning of life, not as a philosophical abstraction, but as a question that individuals grapple with in their daily lives, facing difficult decisions between meeting and defying cultural expectations. The course also provides tools for thinking about moral decisions as social and historical practices, and permits students to compare and contextualize the ways people in different times and places approach fundamental ethical concerns.