The Great Human Nature Debate
For centuries philosophers and scientists have been trying to define what
constitutes human nature, yet this area of knowledge remains highly contested.
Some think that agency, the capacity to make choices and moral judgements, and to
act on them, lies at the heart of being human. For others it is our consciousness of our
selves that is the defining factor. Others still claim that free will, agency and
consciousness are illusions that are accidents of brain function. So, is
there a universal human nature? If so, what do we all have in common? What makes us
different from animals? Do the defining factors even exist?
Speakers:
Rita Carter, author Mapping the Mind,
Conciousness
Thomas Pink,
author The Psychology of Freedom, Free Will: A Very Short Introduction
Prof. Sue Scott, University of Keele
What can science tell us about human nature?
Modern developments in areas such as neuroscience, artificial intelligence
and evolutionary psychology have resulted in new ways of thinking about human
nature. Can we explain the mind and consciousness in terms of brain function?
Can we understand modern human behaviour in terms of our evolutionary heritage?
Is science even the right place to start if we want to understand human nature?
Speakers:
Igor Aleksander,
author The World in My Mind, How to Build a Mind
Bruce
Charlton,
author Psychiatry and the Human Condition
Kenan Malik, author Man, Beast and Zombie
Come along, hear the arguments and have your say
Sponsored by 