I’d like to examine the latest attempt to teach young people how to flourish in schools, via a randomised controlled trial of a new, evidence-based curriculum for Personal and Social Health Education (PSHE), which is being launched in 30 English … Continue reading
To talk about David Bowie, first we need to talk about Thomas Carlyle, a philosopher who, near the beginning of the 19th century, recognised that rationalism was undermining the mythical foundation of society – Christianity – without putting any new … Continue reading
Here is a new report I wrote on the rise of grassroots philosophy clubs. Open publication – Free publishing A very brief executive summary: – There are more and more grassroots philosophy clubs all over the world, including 850 philosophy … Continue reading
This is an interview I did with Professor Martha Nussbaum back in 2009, for The Stoic Registry (a web magazine for Stoics. No, really!) Professor Nussbaum, who is the Ernst Freund distinguished professor of ethics and law at the University … Continue reading
Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest film, The Master, tells the story of troubled drifter Joaquin Phoenix’s relationship with the head of a New Age sect, a sect which looks suspiciously like Scientology. The group, called The Cause, aims (like Scientology) to … Continue reading
Here’s a video of a seminar I attended in Exeter University a couple of months ago, organised by Stoic expert Christopher Gill, on Stoicism and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Thanks for organising it Chris, it was very enjoyable:
I have recently returned from a journey deep into the warm, pulsating heart of the happiness movement. Last Thursday I took part in a conference on Positive Psychology at Wellington College (the pioneer of well-being classes), and then I went … Continue reading
An academic got in touch with me last week, inviting me to a seminar on Stoicism, which was nice of him. On the seminar programme, he described me as ‘an author of books on happiness’. Alas I’ve only written one … Continue reading
This week, I interviewed the philosopher and scientist Massimo Pigliucci as part of my research into philosophy clubs and the Skeptic movement. Massimo is a fascinating figure: he grew up in Italy, then moved to the University of Tennessee to … Continue reading
One of the pioneers of philosophy beyond academia in the UK is Geoffrey Klempner, the founder of the Pathways online school of philosophy, which he set up in 1995 – a long time before the likes of the School of … Continue reading