The University of Toledo and the Toledo Lucas County Public Library present this t hought-provoking and enlightening lecture series that explores the multifa ceted aspects of death\, and its significance in human existence and foste rs a deeper understanding of death&rsquo\;s impact on individuals\, famili es\, and society.
\nDistinguished scholars from diverse fields will share knowledge\, expertise\, and perspectives on death. Through a wide ra nge of captivating lectures\, attendees will have the opportunity to discu ss and reflect on death\, dying\, and themselves.
\nCultures of Death and Near-Death Experiences
\nArtistic expressions of death and near-death experiences help us come to terms with our mortal ity - some artists find beauty in it and some cultures glorify it. Survivo rs of near-death experiences sometimes turn to art as an outlet for their overwhelming emotions. Dr. Allred and artist Joni Johnson will discuss cultural expressions of death through art.< /p>\n
Presented by:
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Ammon Allred is Associate Professor of Philosophy at t he University of Toledo and Faculty \;Director for the Palmer Global F ellows Program. His research focuses on aesthetics and the philosophy of l iterature in the post-Kantian tradition\, particularly in phenomenology an d deconstruction. He received his PhD in Philosophy from Villanova Univers ity in 2004. Before joining the faculty at UT in 2008\, he held positions as a postdoctoral fellow at Villanova University and a visiting lecturer a t the University of Pennsylvania. Doctor Allred&rsquo\;s main area of spec ialization is in aesthetics and post-Kantian philosophy\, particularly phe nomenology and deconstruction. His research focused on the \;role that the imagination plays in shaping our response to pressing existential que stions. \; His publications have drawn on a range of philosophers such as Plato\, Kant\, Hegel\, Heidegger\, Blanchot\, Derrida\, and Badiou and artists and poets such as Leonardo da Vinci\, Brice Marden\, Milan Kunder a\, Robert Maplethorpe\, Salman Rushdie\, Anne Carson and Paul Celan.
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Joni Johnson loves to explore the edge of community conversations by asking fruit ful\, intuitive questions and understanding nonlinear healing. Joni sees h erself as a collection of living\, breathing questions. She has led intera ctive community projects like the &lsquo\;Before I Die&rsquo\; wall and a blog called &lsquo\;Humans of Toledo&rsquo\; while also pursuing the intra personal path of understanding and processing childhood wounds and grievin g the loss of close loved ones. Through this complex conversation with lif e and expanding interpersonal relationships\, Joni discovered a passion fo r assisting in the coevolution of our community ability to heal\, holding space for collective growth. She has found a deep love for challenging bin ary thinking with softness and expanding how a community interacts and mov es with one another. \;Joni created a community YouTube series on deat h. This series explores how people process death through reflection and na rrative &ndash\; and how opening the heart opens the door for transmuting the heaviness into healing. Guests are introduced not by what they &lsquo\ ;do&rsquo\;\, but by how they see\, sharing unique perspectives on process ing grief with grace\, wisdom\, art\, literature\, and ultimately\, spirit ual practice. \;
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