FAITH AND BELIEF: BUDDHISM WITHOUT SUPERSTITION? – BRISTOL, 13 MARCH. Buddhism is often described as a philosophy rather than a religion, but many of its tenets, such as those of karma and rebirth, appear to be justified more by faith than scientific evidence. So can you accept any key Buddhist claims without taking on supernatural beliefs? Julian Baggini will discuss these issues with the philosopher Owen Flanagan and writer Tim Lott.
ReadLife is absurd, and we can’t change that. But we can decide how to respond to that absurdity: with a wailing and gnashing of teeth, with steely defiance, with laughter, or some combination of all three.
ReadNEW PODCAST now available here of panel discussion with Paul Dolan and Barbara J Sahakian, chaired by Ilina Singh. Recorded at the[…]
ReadTHE VIRTUES OF THE TABLE − LONDON, 14 MARCH. Talking about my new book at King’s College London’s Feed Your Mind festival, at 1pm.
ReadThe intellectual modus operandi in Britain is one of adversarial conflict. In the debating chambers of Oxbridge, the high courts, the nation’s parliament, and even news programmes, good, rigorous debate is equated with polarised, confrontational discussion. To argue well is to win, to agree is to concede, and to refuse to come down clearly on one side or the other is to be woolly and evasive. No wonder then that the typical Brit is unable to distinguish between a legitimate challenge that deserves consideration and an outright attack that needs to be repelled.
Read