Endless Endings: The many forms of death and what they teach us about life Ricard Solé

Event details

While death may be one of life’s most predictable surprises, it has also proved itself to be one of the most fascinating and cutting-edge areas of scientific inquiry.

Our bodies and lives tell a story of cellular creation and destruction that can be traced back to Earth’s primordial oceans. Yet when we follow the interwoven thread of beginnings and endings in an effort to discover death’s origins, nature and meaning, we find that we cannot settle on a single definition of death or even a single interpretation of it. It would seem that there is not one death, but an endless variety of forms, each of which raises further questions about how well we understand death’s counterpoint - life.

Using death as a connecting theme, Ricard Solé, author of Endless Endings, explores the differing meanings of death in varied forms, reflecting on questions that are pushing forward the frontiers of scientific understanding. What is the physical basis of inevitable decay? Can we manipulate cellular rules to avoid death? What does death mean if life occurs inside a computer? Can a conscious machine save itself from death? Is immortality possible? What does it mean for language, thought or information to die?

As Ricard reveals, life’s endings can be just as fascinating and varied as life itself.

This event will take place live on Zoom Webinar. You will receive a link to join a couple of days before the event and a reminder an hour before. During the event, you can ask questions via a Q&A function, but audience cameras and microphones will remain muted throughout.

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You can buy copies of many of our speakers’ books from Fox Lane Books, a local independent bookseller and Festival partner. In some cases, author signed bookplates are available too. 

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