The Key School Seminar Series for Adults is modeled after seminar classes taught at Key. The series seeks to engage adults from the surrounding community in spirited intellectual conversations about great novels, poems, films, and more.

Bob McCarthy and Brian Boyd, humanities teachers in Key's Upper School, will lead the discussions.

Join us for enjoyable evening discussions, debating great works with other curious and thoughtful people.

Meaning & Meaninglessness

The Purpose of Life in Literary and Philosophical Texts
2017-2018

The search for meaning in life is the great existential question of man. Ernest Becker says, “Man cannot endure his own littleness unless he can translate it into meaningfulness on the largest possible level.”

In this year’s readings, we will examine texts that examine the very question of the meaning or meaninglessness of human existence. Some will examine ways to create meaning, others will explore intrinsic meanings, while others will conclude that a search for meaning is fruitless. In any case, the discussions should be rich, thought-provoking, and, hopefully, a great deal of fun.