The Virtues of the Table
PHILOSOPHY MASTERCLASS – WATERSTONE’S PICCADILLY, 2 MAY. An evening on food and philosophy based around The Virtues of the Table. A[…]
ReadAuthor: Julian Baggini
The problems of describing mental illness
We are often told that there is still a stigma surrounding mental illness. It is therefore strange that the England cricketer Jonathan Trott was stigmatised for allegedly not having one. Trott left the England tour of Australia in November citing a “long-standing, stress-related condition”. But when he gave an interview last month explaining that he was burnt out rather than depressed, the former England captain Michael Vaughan said that he felt “a little bit conned”, saying, “When I hear players talking about burnout, I suspect it is an excuse.”
ReadCameron’s ‘vague faith’ is nothing to fear
It’s only when religion is brought into the workings of government and state that we should be worried. The distinction indignant atheists are failing to make is between a Christian country and a Christian state. Our laws and public institutions should indeed be independent of any faith or belief group, but this is entirely compatible with society being dominantly Christian.
ReadWhat is England?
HOUSE OF COMMENTS PODCAST. “In the week of St George’s Day, Nick Denys tries to find out what England and English is. He talks to Sunder Katwala (Director of British Future), Caroline Kent (feminist columnist for the Telegraph) and Julian Baggini (philosopher and author of Welcome to Everytown). Sunder is interviewed at the beginning, Caroline at around 14 minutes, and Julian from 26 minutes 20 seconds.”
ReadHow allotments lost the plot
The arrival of the BBC’s The Big Allotment Challenge shows that grow-your-own is a pursuit worthy of the same attention as baking, dating and home improvement. As an allotment holder myself, albeit very much the head gardener’s lackey, I’m ambivalent about this. Allotments are wonderful things but the rise, fall, and rise again in their popularity tells a story about social change that is both encouraging and dispiriting…
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