The Philosopher Queens Book Launch

Lisa Whiting, Rebecca Buxton, Angie Hobbs & Anita L. Allen

Join us to celebrate the official publication of The Philosopher Queens with Lisa Whiting and Rebecca Buxton, hosted by Angie Hobbs, Professor of the Public Understanding of Philosophy at the University of Sheffield.

Privacy, Power, and the Data Economy

Carissa Véliz with Alexis Papazoglou

In this conversation with Alexis Papazoglou, Oxford philosopher Carissa Véliz will explore the relationship between data and power. If we give our data to companies, the wealthy will rule. If we give our data to governments, we will endure some form of authoritarianism. Only if people keep their data will society be free.

The Primacy of We

Dan Zahavi with Luna Dolezal

The capacity to engage in different types of collective intentionality is a key feature of human sociality. But who or what is this "we" to whom intentions, beliefs, emotions, and actions are attributed, and how does it come about? Join leading phenomenologists Dan Zahavi and Luna Dolezal to find out more!

From We to I: Loneliness as Pandemic?

Fay Bound Alberti with Lars Svendsen

Loneliness is as variable as human experience. Fay Bound Alberti and Lars Svendsen have both written recent books on this topic, so in this conversation they will explore why it is critical to consider the history of loneliness, as well as how it is political and politicised.

Philosophy after Racism

Tommy Curry with David Livingstone Smith

This conversation between Tommy Curry and David Livingstone Smith will explore the provocative thesis that a true decolonial paradigm would require the dissolution of many of the cherished categories of Western systems of knowledge: Europe, the human, gender, feminism, reason, or even democracy.

Spinoza in the Anthropocene

Beth Lord with Chris Meyns

What can Spinoza contribute to our thinking about the climate crisis, and specifically, our thinking about the emotions generated by it? And how can we correct and clarify our emotional response to the climate crisis?

Why Veganism Matters

Gary Francione with Adam Ferner and Darren Chetty

In this conversation with Adam Ferner and Darren Chetty from the “Do You Even Vegan?” podcast, leading legal scholar Gary Francione will argue that there is a contradiction in thinking that animals matter morally if one is also not vegan, and he explains why this belief should logically lead all who hold it to veganism.

Spinoza on How to Live and How to Die

Steven Nadler with Alex Douglas

In this conversation with fellow Spinoza scholar Alexander Douglas, Pulitzer Prize-finalist Steven Nadler connects Spinoza’s ideas with his life and times to offer a compelling account of how the philosopher can provide a guide to living one’s best life (and death).

Will We Miss Liberalism When It’s Gone?

Will Davies with Alex Niven

In this conversation, renowned political economist William Davies is joined by English scholar and activist Alex Niven to discuss the various ways in which the liberal establishment has been circumvented during the tumultuous years since the 2016 EU referendum in the UK.

The Universality of Non-Belonging

Todd McGowan with Jana Bacevic

In this conversation with Jana Bacevic, English scholar and social critic Todd McGowan will explore the intersections between universality and particularity through an emphasis on the universality of non-belonging, and its role in rethinking political futures.

In Search of the Soul

John Cottingham with Lauren Slater

Does the concept of the soul have a claim to be central to our thinking about what it is to be human? In this conversation with Lauren Slater, John Cottingham will argue that, so far from being made obsolete by the rise of science, the concept of the soul still exerts a powerful pull on us today.

Angela Davis, Philosophy, and Me

Anita L. Allen in conversation with Lisa Whiting

In this conversation with Lisa Whiting, esteemed philosopher and legal scholar Professor Anita L. Allen will discuss her life and work, and how the revolutionary scholar and activist Angela Davis directly encouraged and inspired her career.

What is "We"?

Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan with Chiara Ricciardone

All articulations of collectivity – whether pedagogical or performative – are provisional, conditional, unstable, fabricated. This conversation between English scholar Ragini Srinivasan and philosopher Chiara Ricciardone will consider the question at the heart of all this week’s five nightly events: what is “we”?

Entitlement and Misogyny

Kate Manne with Chiara Ricciardone

In this conversation with Chiara Ricciardone, leading feminist philosopher Kate Manne will consider the way that male entitlement works in tandem with misogyny, himpathy, and other oppressive systems to produce unjust, perverse, and sometimes bizarre outcomes.

Panpsychism is Not Just for Hippies

Philip Goff with Raymond Tallis

Once dismissed by Colin McGinn as “a complete myth, a comforting piece of utter balderdash. . . isn’t there something vaguely hippyish, i.e. stoned, about the doctrine?”, panpsychism is on the rise, and University of Durham philosopher Philip Goff is leading the charge. He will be in conversation with Raymond Tallis.

The Ontology of Gender

Katharine Jenkins with Kate Ritchie

This conversation between two social ontologists will attempt to clarify some of the current debates in feminist philosophy, considering ways of distinguishing between sex and gender, the role of social structures and other cultural factors, and, ultimately, help us to navigate the question, “What is it to have a gender?”

Why Can’t We All Just Get Along?

Darren Chetty

We find ourselves living in a world marred by division in which it is increasingly difficult to have productive arguments. This conversation will explore why productive disagreement is essential and how we can encourage more helpful and positive debate in the public sphere.

Open Democracy and Democratic Imaginaries

Hélène Landemore with Vafa Ghazavi

In this conversation with Vafa Ghazavi, leading political theorist Hélène Landemore will discuss the crisis of democracy and her new model of an “open democracy” centered around randomly selected legislative bodies.

Human Beings and Being Human

Syl Ko with Adam Ferner and Darren Chetty

In this conversation with “Do you even Vegan?” hosts Adam Ferner and Darren Chetty, philosopher Syl Ko explore a new ground for an animal ethic that restructures the relationship between the injustices that affect humans and those that affect animals.

Illusions and Ignorance: A Critique

Renata Salecl with Bernard E. Harcourt

Do we live in a post-truth era or have we always thrived on ignorance and illusions? In this conversation, two leading critical thinkers, Renata Salecl and Bernard E. Harcourt will reflect on the important role of belief and denial in contemporary Western society.

Automation and Utopia

John Danaher with Brian D. Earp

Human obsolescence is imminent, but is this a cause for despair? In this conversation with Brian D. Earp, philosopher John Danaher will explore how the technology that hastens our obsolescence can open us up to new utopian possibilities and enable heightened forms of human flourishing.

Critique on the Couch

Amy Allen with Eva von Redecker

Does critical social theory need psychoanalysis, and if so, what for? In this conversation with Eva von Redecker, renowned philosopher Amy Allen will discuss the ongoing relationship between psychoanalysis, critique, and politics.

How to Be a Stoic

John Sellars with Donald J. Robertson

John Sellars and Donald J. Robertson, two leading scholars of Stoicism, will consider questions like: What aspects of your life do you really control? What do you do when you cannot guarantee that things will turn out in your favour? And what can Stoicism teach us about how to live together?

Listening to Animals

Eva Meijer with Adam Ferner and Darren Chetty

In this conversation with Adam Ferner and Darren Chetty from the “Do You Even Vegan?” podcast, Dutch artist, writer, and philosopher Eva Meijer will consider how we can redefine our relationship with other animals, showing that their voices should be taken into account as the starting point for a new interspecies democracy.

Nietzsche’s Ethics

Tom Stern with Paul Katsafanas

What are we, as modern readers and modern philosophers, are looking for when we read and interpret a thinker like Nietzsche, who wrote so long ago and in such an unusual way? Join two Nietzsche scholars in a conversation about his ethics and related themes, including his thoughts on psychology, nature and religion.