Death Archives

A pebble beach with waves in the background, Black Rock Beach on Block Island where Megan Craig visited following the death of her long-time mentor and friend, the pragmatist philosopher Richard Bernstein.

A long-time friend and former student of the eminent pragmatist philosopher Richard Bernstein reflects on her mentor's commitment to pluralism and love of children.

Essays Philosophy

A Wishing Stone for Dick

August 9, 2022August 9, 2022 13 min read Megan Craig Children, Death, Loss, Pragmatism

A long-time friend and former student of the eminent pragmatist philosopher Richard Bernstein reflects on her mentor’s commitment to pluralism and love of children.

Mythos Pandemic Sloane Shearman Erraticus Coronavirus Covid-19

(Wikimedia Commons)

Ideas Society

The Mythos of Pandemic

March 30, 2020March 30, 2020 8 min read Sloane Shearman Death, Myth

Without a shared mythos or communal rituals, we face not only the physical threat of coronavirus but also an epidemic of hopelessness.

Ideas Philosophy

Haste Makes Waste

August 7, 2019June 1, 2020 4 min read Finn Janning Death, Emotional Well-being, Soren Kierkegaard

Haste becomes waste is intimately tied to the fact that many people have forgotten to inhabit their body, too eager to get somewhere else.

Become this delicate earth gardening Erraticus

(Vardan Harutyunyan)

Culture Ideas

Become This Delicate Skin of the Earth

July 28, 2019June 1, 2020 4 min read Jeanell Innerarity Death, Environmentalism, Gardening

When we each return to the earth, we can be secure in knowing that we are part of the grand planetary story, not separate from it.

(Jamie Street)

Ideas Psychology

Why Losing a Dog Can Be Harder Than Losing a Loved One

October 2, 2018June 1, 2020 4 min read Frank T. McAndrew Death, Relationships

The dog is the only animal that has evolved specifically to be our companion—and has a unique ability to meet our needs.

(Francesco Corbisiero)

Essays Society

Funerals Are Vital Spaces for Emotional Learning

May 7, 2018March 27, 2021 10 min read Jeffrey Howard Death, Emotional Intelligence, Family, Relationships

We dishonor a person’s memory and do ourselves a disservice when we don’t also acknowledge the dead person’s flaws, faults, or missteps—in other words, embrace their whole humanity. Whether we want it or not, funerals are spaces for emotional learning, not just grieving or reinforcing cultural norms.

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