About this Event
Existentialism, one of the most engaging and important philosophical
movements of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, has special
relevance for the twenty-first century. Its central concerns include dealing
with anxiety, preserving humanity in the face of powerful technologies, and
figuring out how to be free in a messy world. Join the award-winning
philosopher and author Scott Samuelson for any or all of four
sessions—each a lecture with a discussion period afterward—on key
existentialist philosophers and how they can guide us to live more
authentically.
Session 1: Søren Kierkegaard on Anxiety and Being Human
The brilliant and influential Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard once
observed, “Whoever has learned to be anxious in the right way has learned
the ultimate.” This session will explore why he believes that we need to
think of anxiety as more than a disorder and how we can live with anxiety in
a way that brings out our true humanity.
Session 2: Martin Heidegger on Idle Chatter and Authenticity
One of the most important and controversial figures of modern philosophy,
the German thinker Martin Heidegger gives an analysis of what he calls
“idle chatter” that foresees the kind of discourse we associate with social
media, ChatGPT, and corporate jargon. This session will examine his
diagnosis of the problem of superficial language and how we can live and
speak more deeply.
Session 3: Simone de Beauvoir on Freedom and the Struggle for Justice
One of the greatest feminists of all time, the French philosopher and
novelist Simone de Beauvoir holds that freedom can’t be separated from
justice. This session will explore her ideas about how to liberate ourselves
and why we can’t be truly free until those around us are free too.
Session 2: Gabriel Marcel on Technology and the Mystery of Being Present
One of the most significant religious existentialists, the French philosopher
Gabriel Marcel argues that humanity is now at the mercy of its technology:
we serve what is supposed to serve us. This session will examine why he
believes that we fall into the trap of technology and how we should open
ourselves to a great mystery: the mystery of being present to ourselves, the
people around us, our creativity, and existence itself.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Gravitate Coworking (Downtown), 500 Locust Street, Des Moines, United States
USD 0.00 to USD 40.25
