Oxford University Philosophy Society
Hilary 2018
TERMCARD
WELCOME Welcome to Hilary term 2018 with the Oxford University Philosophy Society! Our Society was founded one year ago to bring together the keen student philosophical minds of Oxford and to explore all aspects of this ancient subject. We aim to engage with central philosophical problems and to draw attention to the links between philosophy and all other fields of study and creativity. To this end we have put together an exciting series of speaker events featuring some of the most rigorous and captivating thinkers in the country. These talks are free to society members and cost £3 for non-members. Unless otherwise stated they will take place in Trinity College. Look out also for impromptu social events and discussions that will be announced during the course of term. All are welcome at our events and no prior philosophical knowledge is required. We wish you all a successful term. If you have any questions, or are interested in getting more involved with the society, then don’t hesitate to contact us on Facebook or at enquiries@oxfordphilsoc.org. Best wishes, OUPS Committee
John Broome
‘PRACTICAL REASON’ Tuesday Week 2, 8pm to 9:30pm ‘David Hume claimed that ‘reason is the discovery of truth or falsehood’ and that ‘reason alone can never be a motive to any action of the will’. Hume thought there was no such thing as practical reason. Yet when we wonder what to do, sometimes our reason is plainly engaged. We often do serious reasoning on the way to deciding our actions. What exactly is the role of reason and reasoning in action?’ Join us to hear Professor John Broome, former White’s Professor of Moral Philosophy, address one of the most ancient problems in philosophy. It will also be a chance to question him on any aspect of his extensive work; from the relationship between philosophy and economics to the ethics of climate change.
Hilary Lawson Tuesday Week 3, 8pm to 9:30pm Hilary Lawson is a unique figure in contemporary philosophy. He views the subject as struggling to move forward and play a role in the world whilst accounting for the insights of post-modernism. Lawson accepts the basic post-modernist claims about the impossibility of objective truth whilst emphasising the need for new and original insights; a ‘post-realist’ philosophy that will engage the public and influence the world for the better. To this end he founded the ‘Institute of Art and Ideas’ and the philosophy festival ‘HowTheLightGetsIn’- exciting institutions expanding discourse about ideas into the public consciousness. This event will see a totally original and authentic mind discuss the future of philosophy and the world of ideas.
Simon Blackburn Wednesday Week 4, 8pm to 9:30pm Simon Blackburn is undoubtedly amongst the world’s most rigorous and impressive thinkers. Many will have first encountered serious philosophy in his formidable introductory book ‘Think’, and his defence of quasi-realism in metaethics continues to exert widespread influence. Blackburn attempts to reconcile a denial of traditional ethical realism with a defence of the rationality of our ordinary moral discussion. He is also a patron of ‘Humanists UK’ and a prominent critic of the influence of religion in global politics. In recent years he has gone on to apply his analytic reasoning to such exciting topics as romantic relationships and the role of narcissism and self-regard in a healthy life. We’re delighted to welcome such a prominent thinker to our society, and to offer attendees the chance to explore these important areas in the company of a mind of rare clarity and power.
Cecile Fabre ‘Ethics of Espionage – Official Secrecy’ Wednesday Week 6, 8pm to 9:30pm
‘Most political communities prohibit the disclosure and appropriation of state or official secrets and punish those who breach the relevant provisions - with penalties ranging from prison sentences to the death penalty … Just as the concept of individual privacy has proved elusive, so has the concept of secrecy - My defence of the right to official secrecy rests on (inter alia) the importance of secrecy for citizens’ security, political agency and (some of) their property rights.’ Cecile Fabre is one of Oxford’s most exciting philosophers; her work at All Souls College on the ethics of espionage is pioneering the field. Her talk will delve deeply into this increasingly important topic.
Derek Attridge
‘DERRIDA AS LITERARY READER’ Wednesday Week 8, 8pm to 9:30pm
Derek Attridge is one of the UK’s leading literary theorists. His near-peerless expertise on the thought of Jacques Derrida has been developed over decades of insightful writing, and his talk promises to offer both understanding to those entirely new to the subject and stimulation to its most experienced devotees. Attridge is particularly keen to emphasise and explore the links between literature and philosophy Join us to hear his analysis of one of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century, and to question him on topics from South African literature and the ethical significance of reading to poetic forms and the work of James Joyce.
Membership of our society can be purchased at the door of any of our events. One Year - ÂŁ10 Lifetime - ÂŁ20 Website: oxford-philsoc.org Facebook: facebook.com/OxfordPhilSoc/
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