Philosophy Philosophy of Love 1/19/22

Philosophy

The Great Philosophers on the Topic of Love

It’s one of the most important questions we ask ourselves: How should we live our lives? English and Literary Arts Professor R.D. Perry says that question stems from the branch of philosophy called ethics, and he adds that a key part of that question involves how we relate to others. “So, it’s no surprise that philosophers have plenty to say about that most complex of human relations: love,” Perry says. Join Perry as he explores how philosophers have considered the many kinds of love: romantic love, brotherly love, love of the self, love of one’s neighbor and even a love related to the word philosophy itself … the love of wisdom. Perry begins with Plato’s Symposium and how we attempt to answer the question of what love is. He then considers Augustine’s adaptation of Platonic thought to Christianity, distinguishing between lust and love, the merely carnal and the divine. Moving into the modern period, discover G.W.F. Hegel’s view of love as a necessarily mutual appreciation between two people who recognize one another’s differences and Søren Kierkegaard’s writings on how erotic and familial love prepare a person for the type of unconditional love known as charity. And finally, explore Gillian Rose’s philosophical memoir and how different kinds of love shaped her life. We promise, there’s plenty to love here!

Four Zoom sessions

Wed., Jan. 19, 26, Feb. 2, 9, 2022, 6:30–8:30 pm MT ENRICH 0585 / $140

R.D. Perry is an assistant professor of English and Literary Arts at the University of Denver. He specializes in medieval and early modern literature, as well as the history of philosophy and critical theory.

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