Hope on the Horizon of Meaning
Philosophy
Course Description
...when the buffalo went away the hearts of my people fell to the ground, and they could not lift them up again. After this nothing happened.
—Chief Plenty Coups, Crow Nation.
In Radical Hope: Ethics in the Face of Cultural Devastation, Jonathan Lear takes Chief Plenty Coups’ statement, “After this nothing happened,” as his starting point for a philosophical inquiry into the possibilities for hope in the midst of cultural collapse. Lear highlights the peculiar dilemma that arises when coherent responses are sought to conditions in which the very frameworks of meaning are themselves coming undone. Using Lear’s text as anchor, this course will consider the possibilities for hope within our own climate of crisis and uncertainty. Together, we will consider the questions: What is hope? Is it a rational or an emotional posture? Can hope be an ethical stance? How is hope related to structures of meaning? Can we continue to find hope even when our structures of meaning begin to give way? Must we know concretely what it is we are hoping for, or might we hope even within conditions of an unknowable and uncertain future?
Please note that this course has a maximum enrollment of 16 students and that TMI does not allow participants to audit courses for free.
Course Details
Location: Atwater
First Session: Wednesday September 18th, 2024
Course Length: 12 weeks, Wednesdays, 6:15 to 8:15 p.m.
Discussion Team: Claire English, David Dussault
Degree Credit: 3 credits
Course Fee:
100.00 (New Students)
160.00 (Standard Tuition)
Admin Fee:
40.00
Total:
140.00 (New Students)
200.00 (Standard Tuition)
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For 12-week courses, fees are refundable in full before the second session. If the participant withdraws after the second course, they will be charged a $50 fee. There is no refund after the third course has passed. Please note that non-attendance does not constitute a withdrawal.
Students pursuing studies for credit are encouraged to consult with their advisers as they register for courses.
Course leaders, and students wishing to use credit vouchers, should call (514) 935-9585 to pay by phone or to schedule an appointment to pay in person.