Much of how we make life meaningful is through the stories we tell about ourselves, and those narratives draw heavily from the social world. While stories can expand our options for making sense of life, they can also restrict and distort identities. Story-telling, therefore, can impact the life narratives of ourselves and others in both … Continue reading How Stories Impact the Meaning of our Lives
Philosophers have been trying to understand what makes a meaningful life for over two thousand years. Dr. Pamerleau will present the most important questions and issues regarding this topic, emphasizing contemporary views. This discussion is designed to help everyone frame their own questions and pursue their own answers to this timeless and most human of … Continue reading Philosophy and the Meaning of Life
Dr. Pamerleau will share insights from contemporary philosophy about the nature of freedom and the extent to which we can say we live in a free country.
Dr. Pamerleau’s discussion investigates why philosopher John Dewey’s views remain relevant to the topic of living with intention. Dewey would have us align science and philosophy to produce an approach to ethics that is forward looking and subject to constant revision, empowering us both as individuals and communities to intelligently direct our lives.
Explore the topic of narrative identity – the view that we establish our sense of self by telling a story that links the events of our life into a coherent whole. This view provides rich insights into how we establish what is and isn’t meaningful in our lives. See how we can be creative and … Continue reading Telling Stories: How Narratives Create Identity, Make Life Meaningful, and Potentially Oppress Others
The conflict in Northern Ireland is based on various cultural and political divisions that resulted in the deaths of thousands of persons. Though the communities of Northern Ireland have achieved a certain peace, there are still deep cultural divisions which need to be overcome in order to establish a lasting peace. Based on his trip … Continue reading Lessons in Conflict and Peace – What we can learn from the troubles in Northern Ireland
