Surviving loss with philosophy

Loss is the one experience none of us can avoid. Youth fades, bodies weaken, hopes dissolve, and those we cherish disappear, until life itself slips away. How do we reconcile ourselves to this harsh reality?

In her latest essay Survivre, philosopher and writer Marianne Chaillan turns to the great thinkers who, like us, have grappled with mortality and grief. Did they uncover wisdom we’ve overlooked? Did they find a way to embrace finitude without surrendering to sorrow? With a sharp eye for literature and a nod to pop culture, Chaillan explores how to sur-vive: not just to persist through pain, but to live more intensely because of it.

In conversation with journalist Simon Brunfaut, Marianne Chaillan will discuss what we might learn from those who faced the same questions, and how their answers might change the way we live.

The talk will be followed by a book signing with the author of ‘Survivre’ (Editions de L’observatoire, 2026) organised by Librairie UOPC.