Odysseys of Wisdom: A Community-Based Reading Group

For this event, we intend to model a community-based reading group of Homer’s The Odyssey in order to show how these texts can be used to have conversations about pressing societal issues. This program is a special session open to the public of the “Philosophy Across the Lifespan” class which brings together older adults from the Seymour Center with UNC students. With a story like The Odyssey at the center of discussion, community members can begin to tackle questions together like: What defines true heroism? How does Odysseus’s journey reflect a search for identity and the meaning of home? What are the moral obligations of hospitality? What does the interaction between mortals and gods reveal about mortality and the desire for immortality? Is revenge justified, or does it perpetuate a cycle of violence? How does the Odyssey portray the importance of perseverance and endurance in the face of adversity? Participants can discuss issues that are core to the human experience and feel more closely connected with their communities by trusting one another.

Presenters:

• Kari Lindquist, Department of Music
• Michael Vazquez, Parr Center for Ethics, Department of Philosophy

Location: Chapel Hill Public Library, Meeting Room B

• Registration