An Illustrated Lecture by Ian Olasov

Date: Thursday, February 26th
Time: 8pm
Admission: $8 ( Tickets Here )
Location; Morbid Anatomy Museum, 424 Third Avenue , 11215 Brooklyn

What, if anything, makes my death bad for me? How should I feel about my own mortality? In particular, does it make sense to fear death? Everybody asks these questions, but it can be terrifying (and awkward) to confront them head on.

Olasov will explain and assess two influential approaches to these questions, one due to the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus, another due to the contemporary philosopher Derek Parfit. Each argues, by very different means, that your death isn’t as bad for you as you might think. It’s a morbid topic, no doubt about it, but Olasov will try to show that it has a positive upshot - whether or not the arguments succeed, how you think about these arguments can clarify what you think makes life worth living.

Ian Olasov is a doctoral student in philosophy at the CUNY Graduate Center and teaches philosophy at Brooklyn College and Medgar Evers College. His research interests are broad, but currently center around when and how people express their moral attitudes in everyday conversation. He also organizes Brooklyn Public Philosophers, a monthly philosophy speaker and discussion series for a general audience.

Outside of philosophy, he plays and teaches music, cooks vegan food, and is available to pet and babble to your dogs, cats, and other animals, with or without an appointment.