Exploring the uneasy relationship between poetry and philosophyAbout this Event
Scottish philosopher David Hume once described poets as ‘Liars by profession’ – and he wasn’t joking.
More recently, some philosophers have dismissed poets as ‘not serious’, and poets haven’t been shy in responding with their own labels for philosophers.
The animosity between both camps was ancient even in Plato’s day, and it still flares up. But why?
The usual answer is that they have so little in common.
It’s sometimes said that philosophers seek truth through argument, while poets seek beauty by whatever means they please. By looking closely at older and more contemporary poems, we may begin to see something else. Often, poetry seems so close to philosophy that it almost appears to be doing the job itself.
Could tensions come not from their differences, but their similarities? Perhaps poetry is sometimes better at doing what philosophy tries to do? Surely, that could be reason for bad blood.
Join Professor Maximilian de Gaynesford as he takes a closer at the poems that might make us reconsider the boundaries between philosophy and poetry.
This page is to register to attend this event in-persone. To watch online please click here:
SPEAKER: Professor Maximilian de Gaynesford
University of Reading
Maximilian de Gaynesford, formerly a Fellow of Lincoln College Oxford and Professor at the College of William and Mary, is now Professor at the University of Reading. His main interests are in the philosophy of mind and language and he has written several books, including I: The Meaning of the First Person Term (2006), The Rift in the Lute: Attuning Poetry and Philosophy (2017) and How to be Radical in Philosophy (2023).
Panellist: Prof. Don Paterson
Professor Emeritus of Poetry, University of St Andrews
Don Paterson is the author of sixteen books of poetry, aphorism, criticism, poetic theory and memoir, and the editor of several anthologies. His poetry has won many awards, including the Whitbread Poetry Prize, the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize, the Costa Poetry Award, and three Forward Prizes; he is the only poet to have won the T.S. Eliot Prize on two occasions. He taught poetry at the University of St Andrews and for twenty-five years was Poetry Editor at Picador Macmillan. He is also Fellow of the English Association, the Royal Society of Literature. He received the OBE in 2008 and the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry in 2010.
Chair: Professor Edward Harcourt
Academic Director of the Royal Institute of Philosophy, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Keble College
Edward Harcourt is the Academic Director of the Royal Institute of Philosophy, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Keble College. His research lies in moral psychology and on the boundaries between ethics and the philosophy of mind. He has published on topics including neo-Aristotelianism and child development; the ethical dimensions of psychoanalysis; love and the virtues; the philosophy of mental health and mental illness; and Wittgenstein.
In March 2022 he completed a four-year secondment to the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council as Director of Research, Strategy and Innovation. He currently works two days a week in Oxford’s Department of Psychiatry, where he leads on patient and public engagement for the Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre. He also directs Mind, Value and Mental Health: The Oxford Summer Schools in Philosophy and Psychiatry, which is due to meet again in Summer 2024.
Important points to note
This event is suitable for age 16+
Please note that any personal data that is submitted to the RSE will be stored and processed in accordance with the RSE’s Privacy Policy. We will only use mobile numbers provided to contact you in the event of a cancellation.
Livestreaming and photography may take place at this event. Please let a member of the RSE Public Engagement team know if you do not want to be photographed. Recorded events will be made available on the RSE YouTube channel.
Covid-19: If you would like to wear a face mask, please feel comfortable to do so at our events. Please be mindful of other participants and stay at home if you have Covid symptoms or have tested positive for Covid-19.
If you would like to receive information from the RSE on forthcoming events and activities, including our Newsletter, please contact [email protected]
Accessibility
We aim to make events as accessible as possible. If you have any accessibility requirements or have any questions related to how we can support this event, please contact [email protected]. Accessibility information for the RSE building can be found on our website: Accessibility - Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) : Royal Society of Edinburgh
The RSE is trialling the for our public events. This app enables visitors with accessibility needs to discreetly inform our staff of any assistance required before their visit. Simply fill out a quick form with your needs and estimated arrival time, and our team will be ready to accommodate you.
Wheelchair spaces: If you would like to book a space as a wheelchair user, please select the ticket type 'wheelchair space ticket' during the booking process. If this is sold out, please contact the Public Engagement team on [email protected]
Please visit the RSE FAQs page for further details about venue and events.
Event Venue
The Royal Society Of Edinburgh, 22-26 George Street, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
GBP 0.00
