Forum for Philosophy

John Gray draws together the religious, philosophic and fantastical traditions that question the very idea of human freedom. We flatter ourselves about the nature of free will and yet the most enormous forces - biological, physical, metaphysical - constrain our every action. Many writers and intellectuals have always understood this, but instead of embracing our condition we battle against it,…

The controversial designation “Anthropocene” names a geological epoch in which the planet has been irrevocably changed by human activity. In this panel, three thinkers consider the ways in which the Anthropocene requires us to reconsider both human self-identity and the human capacity for creation and destruction. Is art a narcissistic reflection of human concerns and desires or might it provide…

Is the 'novel of ideas' an outdated genre or are we witnessing its resurgence? What answers can it offer to twenty-first-century questions? In this panel three speakers will discuss examples of the 'novel of ideas' and assess the genre's contemporary relevance. Peter Boxall is Professor of English and Deputy Head of the School of English at the University of Sussex.  His research…

Are there ‘hardwired’ psychological differences between men and women? Do these alleged differences show that gender differences in society have a biological explanation? And what does talk of ‘hardwiring’ even mean? In this interdisciplinary dialogue, philosopher John Dupré and cognitive neuroscientist Gina Rippon will debate these and other issues concerning the science and philosophy of gender. John Dupré is Professor…

When is it permissible to resort to civil disobedience? Do we sometimes have a moral duty to do so? Should we be punished for it? Kimberley Brownlee is Associate Professor of Legal and Moral Philosophy at the University of Warwick. Suggested hashtag for this event for Twitter users: #LSEcivildisobedience

Is politics the instrument of moral ideals and values? Is it something like ‘applied morality’? In recent years there has been a revival of approaches which give greater autonomy to distinctively political thought, which can be called ‘political realism’, in contrast to ‘political moralism’. The panel discussion will explore this contrast, and ask whether political legitimacy is ultimately a question…

The human mind produces countless biases, illusions and predictable errors. Are such false beliefs adaptive? Had they evolved for a reason? From overconfidence to the illusion of control, the speakers will argue that false beliefs can provide the individual with an advantage in domains ranging from war and politics to health and finance. But how do such beliefs affect us…

What makes a life good? Is the ‘good life’ a happy life? Does the ‘good life’ name an individual experience or a social goal? In what ways have alterations in our perception of the human changed the notion of human flourishing? In this event, three thinkers will address the meaning and significance of the ‘good life’ today. Amber Carpenter is…

The Enlightenment philosopher David Hume tells us that ‘a wise man proportions his belief to his evidence.’ And according to W.K. Clifford, ‘it is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone to believe anything on insufficient evidence’. But is believing without evidence really wrong, and if so what are we to make of religious beliefs? To answer these questions, we will…

Is the Enlightenment finished or is it an ongoing project? What does Enlightenment mean in a globalised world? In what ways might the concept of Enlightenment illuminate current issues of European identity, secularisation, and the so-called ‘clash of civilisations’? In this event, three speakers return to Immanuel Kant’s seminal essay ‘Answering the Question: What is Enlightenment?’ in order to address…

‘The fate of our times is characterised by rationalisation and intellectualisation and, above all, by the “disenchantment of the world”’, declared Max Weber in 1917. These themes have occupied Akeel Bilgrami over many years, and his reflections on them have now been brought together in a collection of essays, Secularism, Identity, and Enchantment. Bilgrami will be with us to discuss…

Are humans exceptional amongst living beings? How should they understand their relationship with, and responsibilities towards, the natural world? Current ecological crises have led to new conceptions of this relationship, increased focus on human responsibilities, and changing environmental practices. In this panel, two speakers will address both the theoretical questions raised by these issues and assess some of the practical…

Our ability to recall the past is a fundamental feature of what makes us human. While neuroscience has advanced our understanding of memory, how do these insights relate to memory as understood in the classics, literature, philosophy and art? Jessica Bland is Principal Researcher in Policy and Research at Nesta. Sebastian Groes is Senior Lecturer in English Literature at the…

Forum for European Philosophy public discussion Most people would agree that we have a right to leave our country of origin. But since leaving one country usually means arriving in another, do we also have a right to immigrate? If so, how can this be reconciled with a state’s apparent right to exclude? We bring together a panel of philosophers…

Forum for European Philosophy public discussion As technology and the mind become more integrated, questions arise about how to locate the limits of our mental life. Some philosophers have proposed that mental life extends far beyond the traditional soul or biological brain, and that the same must be true of our epistemic life as well. Our panel will debate this…