The Barnes Philosophy Club
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Any subject is open for discussion whether your interest is in aesthetics, ethics, ancient Greek philosophy, modern continental philosophy, political and social philosophy, philosophy of music, or even in asking "what is philosophy?" or indeed "what is the point of philosophy?"
The Barnes Philosophy Club
1y ago
You can now book on for our upcoming talks at the OSO website.
14 March 2023 Free will as an acquirable skill - Professor Sophie-Grace Chappell
11 April 2023 Human enhancement: neurotechnologies, identity, autonomy - Dr Y. J. Erden
9 May 2023 Freedom, Choice, and the Unmodified Body - Prof Clare Chambers
13 June 2023 Freedom from suffering? Stoicism and Positive Psychology with Robin and Nick
All our talks remain accessible (subject to the vagaries of technology) via Zoom. Just book a "Zoom ticket" using the links above to get details of how to join.
All tickets are free, and you ca ..read more
The Barnes Philosophy Club
1y ago
It was great to see the OSO so busy for our "Valentine's Day Special" last month with Ulrik Lyngs, Carlsberg Foundation Visiting Fellow at the University of Oxford's Human Centred Computing Group. He gave a lively and thought-provoking talk on how we can use a growing range of tools to save ourselves from digital addiction - whether to social media or dating apps - in the face of tech companies' war for our attention. We have a pretty good recording of the talk, which you can watch on YouTube.
You can book on for our next talk with Professor Sophie Grace Chappell, at the OSO website ..read more
The Barnes Philosophy Club
1y ago
Tuesday, 8 November⋅7:30 – 9:00pm
Andrew explained how the problem of personal identity first arose in the early modern period and then go on to describe how it has been taken up in recent years (largely on the back of the earlier thinkers). The talk brought out sharply contrasting views - some of them - as to what constitutes our identity, not only in the early modern period but, equally, in the present one. Andrew assumed no previous knowledge of the topic.
Andrew Ward was born and lived for his first 25 years in East Sheen. Towards the end of this period, he even became an undistingui ..read more
The Barnes Philosophy Club
1y ago
Personal Identity - Andrew Ward
Tuesday, 8 November⋅7:30 – 9:00pm
Andrew will explain how the problem first arose in the early modern period and then go on to describe how it has been taken up in recent years (largely on the back of the earlier thinkers). The talk will try to bring out the sharply contrasting views - some of them - as to what constitutes our identity, not only in the early modern period but, equally, in the present one. Andrew will assume no previous knowledge of the topic.
To attend in person, please book a free ticket with the OSO: Register Now
Andrew Ward was born a ..read more
The Barnes Philosophy Club
1y ago
Join us to hear our second talk on freedom of expression, with Piers Benn
This Tuesday 11 October 2022, 7:30pm at the OSO
Supported by the Royal Institute of Philosophy
Register Now to attend in person
Thanks to all of you who attended our talk last week with Professor Arif Ahmed. He kicked off our season with a thought-provoking and challenging presentation on freedom of speech. I'm pleased to say that along with a record audience (more than 60 in person) we were joined by Piers Benn, who will be picking up the theme in our next talk:
Is concern ..read more
The Barnes Philosophy Club
1y ago
We're kicking off a new season of talks on "Freedom and Identity" with Arif Ahmed on Freedom of Speech.
Freedom of Speech - Arif Ahmed
Tue, 13 September, 7:30pm – 9:00pm
Supported by the Royal Institute of Philosophy.
Register Now
Freedom of speech is perhaps the most basic liberal value, so it's disturbing to hear widespread claims that it is now under threat in liberal democracies like the US and the UK. In this talk I'll state my own view about what freedom of speech is and why it matters, and I'll assess to what extent these threats to it are (a) real and (b) resistible.
&nb ..read more
The Barnes Philosophy Club
2y ago
Supported by the Royal Institute of Philosophy
Our final talk in the 2021-22 season will be given online by Yasemin J Erden on the theme of technology and psychiatry. Please do register if you'd like to join us in person at the OSO for a chat and drink, and to watch the talk, or to be sent a reminder with the Zoom link (which is always the same).
"Close encounters of the mechanical kind: when clever machines meet problematic theories"
Dr Yasemin J. Erden, Assistant Professor, University of Twente
Register Now ..read more
The Barnes Philosophy Club
2y ago
For our next talk in our season on consciousness, technology and psychology, Dr Reuben Binns will give a lecture on artificial intelligence and justice.
Register Now
Reuben Binns is an Associate Professor of Human Centred Computing, working between computer science, law, and philosophy, focusing on data protection, machine learning, and the regulation of and by technology. Between 2018-2020, he was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in AI at the Information Commissioner's Office, addressing AI / ML and data protection. He joined the Department of Computer Science at the University of Oxford as a ..read more
The Barnes Philosophy Club
2y ago
The question of free will has preoccupied philosophers for millennia. In recent years the debate has been reinvigorated by the findings of neuroscience and, for some, the notion that we have free will has finally been laid to rest. Not so, says Raymond Tallis. In his quest to reconcile our practical belief in our own agency with our theoretical doubts, Tallis will advance powerful arguments for the reality of freedom. He will challenge the idea that we are imprisoned by laws of nature that wire us into a causally closed world. He will aim to shows that our capacity to discover and exploit thes ..read more
The Barnes Philosophy Club
2y ago
I'm delighted that Timothy Williamson, Wykeham Professor of Logic at Oxford since 2000, has agreed to join us in person for our next talk on 8th March, 7:15 for a 7:30 start. This is a great opportunity to meet with, and question, one of the country's leading philosophers.
Professor Williamson will be addressing the fundamental question of epistemology: how can we know things? He will talk about why Descartes' "Cogito ergo sum" is a bad starting-point and why the kinds of knowledge humans share with other animals is a better one.
Register now to attend
Supported by the Royal Institute of Phi ..read more