A Map to the End of Time: Wayfarings with Friends and Philosophers

by Ronald J. Manheimer

Tales both playful and profound exploring answers to life's Big Questions. Teaching philosophy to retired people should be a path to wisdom, Ron Manheimer thought. He was right, but in an unexpected fashion. His lively Socratic "dialogues" with older people led him into hilarious and provocative conversations with a colorful cast of fellow seekers: from his bon vivant Danish mentor Augie Nielsen to his strong-willed elderly student Hildegard, from his ironic teenaged daughter Esther to his wisecracking Uncle Joe.

Like James Carse in Breakfast at the Victory , Manheimer reinvigorates the ancient tradition of using storytelling to explore truth. What is romantic love? How do we shape the stories we tell ourselves about our own pasts? Does the purpose of life become clearer in old age? How do we find common meanings across religious, ethnic, and generational divides? What is the essence of a person? What does it mean to live a "full" life?

Showing how ideas and lives can illuminate one another, Manheimer's engaging narratives address these questions while providing an inviting exploration of the ideas of thinkers from Plato and Aristotle to Kierkegaard, John Stuart Mill, and Martin Buber. A great teacher, Manheimer shows how these philosophers might provide the footgear for treading everyday paths of human experience, on our inevitable journeys to "the end of time."

Genres: Philosophy

352 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1999

Reviews

[j j · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an interesting read. The book consists of discussions that the author has with different (older)people about their view on time, aging, experience etc. I liked the discussions. But there were some meandering into philosophical landscapes that I didn't enjoy that much. Probably its to do with my minimal knowledge in Kierkegaard's philosophy. (The author seems to be an expert in the field). Overall it was a good one. My first read in 2017.