Commentary | April 19, 2011

Discussion: was pondering the meaning of life part of your Harvard experience?

Were conversations about the meaning of life part of your Harvard experience? Should they be? Join our reader discussion.

In the May-June issue, Undergraduate columnist Madeleine Schwartz writes: "How should a person live? In my three years at Harvard, I feel I have rarely been asked the question." Schwartz finds that much as she would like to discuss these questions with her friends, there are few opportunities.

Were conversations about the meaning of life part of your Harvard experience? Do you think Harvard should do more to encourage such discussions?

Scroll down to see what other readers are saying and leave your own comment. (This discussion is moderated, so your comment may not appear immediately.)

Related topics

You might also like

A man in a dark suit sits at a table in an elegant room with historical decor.

Making Waves with Philosophy

A conversation with Harvard professor Michael Sandel

A jubilant graduate shouts into a megaphone, surrounded by a cheering crowd.

For Campus Speech, Civility is a Cultural Practice

A former Harvard College dean reviews Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber’s book Terms of Respect.

Skyline view of Harvard University with trees in autumn colors and a river under a cloudy sky.

Your Views on Conservatism on Campus, Doxxing, and More

Readers write in about international students at Harvard, the September-October cover, and changes at the Chan School of Public Health.

Most popular

A woman gazes at large decorative letters with her reflection and two stylized faces beside them.

The True Cost of Grade Inflation at Harvard

How an abundance of A’s created “the most stressed-out world of all.”

Historic red brick building with large windows and tree shadows in foreground.

Harvard’s Epstein Probe Widened

The University investigates ties to donors, following revelations in newly released files.

A black primate hanging lazily on a branch in a lush green forest.

What Bonobos Teach Us About Female Power and Cooperation

A Harvard scientist expands our understanding of our closest living relatives.

Explore More From Current Issue

A lively street scene at night with people in colorful costumes dancing joyfully.

Rabbi, Drag Queen, Film Star

Sabbath Queen, a new documentary, follows one man’s quest to make Judaism more expansive.

Four Labrador puppies—two black and two yellow—sitting in green grass.

What Do Puppies Know?

Canine capabilities emerge early and continue into adulthood.

A close-up of a beetle on the textured surface of a cycad cone and cycad cones seen in infrared silhouette.

Research in Brief

Cutting-edge discoveries, distilled