St Mary’s University College, Philosophy Department
Royal Institute of Philosophy Public Lecture
Wednesday, 23rd November 2011
5.15pm - 6.45pm, followed by a drinks reception
Senior Common Room, St Mary’s University College, Twickenham
Abstract: There have been recent well-publicised pronouncements by science writers on the death or redundancy of Philosophy (Peter Atkins, Stephen Hawking). These pronouncements find echoes and support in the less well-publicised reactions philosophers have had when contributing to discussion of, for example, Evidence Based Practice. In this talk, I seek to make a case for the relevance and importance of philosophers’ contributions to debates that reach beyond the confines of academia into areas of public policy. I use Evidence Based Practice and, in particular, Evidence Based Medicine, as my case study.
About the Speaker:
Phil Hutchinson is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at Manchester Metropolitan University. He published his first book, Shame and Philosophy: an Investigation in the Philosophy of Emotions and Ethics, in 2008. He has also published numerous papers on Wittgenstein’s philosophy, Philosophy of Emotions and Political Philosophy. He is currently working on a book on Philosophy as Therapy (co-authored with Rupert Read) and, as this talk indicates, has tentatively begun work on conceptions of medical practice.
Registration
All lectures are free and open to the public without registration. Lectures start at 5:15 and last for 50 minutes, with 40 minutes for questions. This is then followed by a wine reception.
Venue
Senior Common Room, St Mary’s University College, Waldegrave Road, Strawberry Hill, Twickenham, TW1 4SX, UK.
Directions to the university: http://www.smuc.ac.uk/contact/directions.htm
For further information, please contact Dr Yasemin J. Erden: erdenyj@smuc.ac.uk
Posters:
Posters and further details can be downloaded here:
http://www.smuc.ac.uk/news/pdf/RIP-Lecture-on-23Nov-Oct11.pdf
http://www.smuc.ac.uk/news/events.htm
GENERAL INFORMATION
Lecture Series
Knowledge, Wisdom and the University
Series abstract
Universities in Britain - as well as in other Western countries - are facing an uncertain future. In response to significant cuts in public funding, drastic changes are being proposed and already a number of (philosophy) departments are being threatened with closure. It is, so the argument goes, no longer possible to afford studies which are seen as luxuries. In such discussions the idea of a university is rarely mentioned, let alone the place of philosophy in universities.
Speakers
Our series invites speakers from a range of disciplines to address this oversight. Specifically, we ask them to reflect on concepts of knowledge and wisdom, and their place in modern universities. All talks are appropriate for a non-specialised audience.
Programme
21st September
Mr Peter Worley (The Philosophy Shop)
What can university philosophy learn from primary philosophy?
5th October
Prof Murray Shanahan (Imperial College, London)
Animal minds and robot minds
23rd November
Dr Phil Hutchinson (Manchester Metropolitan University)
What have philosophers ever done for us?
***Winter break***
1st February
Prof Luciano Floridi (University of Hertfordshire / University of Oxford)
What is a philosophical question?
29th February
Prof Beverley Clack (Oxford Brookes University)
Loss and the struggle for meaning
28th March
Dr Cecile Hatier (University of Wolverhampton)
The morality of university decision-makers
18th April
Dr Gillian Howie (University of Liverpool)
The wisdom of the markey and the market in wisdom
A poster advertising the full series of lectures can be downloaded here: http://www.smuc.ac.uk/news/events.htm
