Date: Friday 28 February 2014
Time: 6.30-8pm
Venue: Wolfson Theatre, New Academic Building
Speakers: Mary Midgley, Jonathan Rée, Professor Raymond Tallis

What is the self? Should we turn to philosophy, psychology or science in order to better understand it? Does the self even exist? In this panel, three thinkers respond to scientific claims that the self is an illusion, exposing the philosophical problems which such claims conceal. Returning us instead to the experience of selfhood, the speakers will discuss alternatives both to reductive scientific accounts and to traditional philosophical concepts of the self.

Mary Midgley is one of the most respected moral philosophers of her generation and the author of many books including Beast and Man, Wickedness, The Solitary Self and most recently Are you an Illusion?.

Jonathan Rée is a writer, philosopher and historian. His has written for the Times Literary Supplement, the London Review of Books, the Independent, Prospect, the Nation and the Evening Standard. His books include Philosophical Tales, Proletarian Philosophers, I See a Voice and The Concise Encyclopedia of Western Philosophy.

Raymond Tallis trained as a doctor before going on to become professor of geriatric medicine at the University of Manchester. He was elected fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences for his research in clinical neuroscience. He retired from medicine in 2006 to become a full-time writer and has published fiction, poetry, cultural criticism and philosophical anthropology, including The Kingdom of Infinite Space, the widely praised Aping Mankind and most recently Reflections of a Metaphysical Flâneur.

This event forms part of LSE Space for Thought Literary Festival 2014, taking place from Monday 24 February - Saturday 1 March 2014, with the theme 'Reflections'.

Suggested hashtag for this event for Twitter users: #LSElitfest

Podcast

A podcast of this event is available to download from Understanding the Self

Podcasts and videos of many LSE events can be found at the LSE Public Lectures and Events: podcasts and videos channel.

Twitter and Facebook

You can get immediate notification on the availability of an event podcast by following LSE public lectures and events on Twitter, which will also inform you about the posting of transcripts and videos, the announcement of new events and other important event updates. Event updates and other information about what's happening at LSE can be found on the LSE's Facebook page.

CPD

This event has been certified for CPD purposes by the CPD Certification Service. Self-Assessment Record forms will be made available for delegates wishing to record further learning and knowledge enhancement for Continuing Personal and Professional Development (CPD) purposes. For delegates who wish to obtain a CPD Certificate of Attendance, it is the responsibility of delegates to register their details with a LSE steward at the end of the event and as of 1 September 2014 a certificate will be sent within 28 days of the date of the event attended by the CPD Certification Service. If a delegate fails to register their details at the event, it will not prove possible to issue a certificate. (For queries relating to CPD Certificates of attendance after a request please phone 0208 840 4383 or email info@cpduk.co.uk).

LSE Literary Festival 2014