Philosophy and Life
Recent writing and occasional thoughts on assorted matters.
- Physics and reality. Francis Lucille on the nature of matter, the flaws of panpsychism & God Jan 23, 2025 - An audio version of this conversation is at my podcast, Inner Life, available via podcast feeds. Francis Lucille is teaching of Advaita Vedanta who brings together nonduality with science, amongst other subjects, his past having been in physics. Here, he talks with Mark Vernon about the universality of consciousness and how that fits with modern physics, theories of consciousness and… … Continue reading Physics and reality. Francis Lucille on the nature of matter, the flaws of panpsychism & God
- On Mysticism. Discussion with Simon Critchley on his new book Jan 17, 2025 - An audio version of the conversation is at my podcast, Inner Life, available via podcast feeds. Mysticism is a modern word, as Simon Critchley discusses in his tremendous new book, On Mysticism. And its novelty is not a happy intervention in the history of mystics and their significance, Fundamental aspects of the insights pursued by figures such as Mother Julian… … Continue reading On Mysticism. Discussion with Simon Critchley on his new book
- In Search of Wild Gods. Reflections on Nick Cave and Tom Holland in conversation about Christianity Jan 10, 2025 - An audio version of this talk is at my podcast Talks and Thoughts available via podcast feeds. Nick Cave and Tom Holland discussed Christianity in an event organised by Unherd entitled In Search of Wild Gods on Thursday 9th January 2025. Chaired by Freddie Sayers, the conversation revolved around whether and why there is renewed interest in Christianity. Tom Holland’s… … Continue reading In Search of Wild Gods. Reflections on Nick Cave and Tom Holland in conversation about Christianity
- Meister Eckhart’s Christmas Sermon One. Where is the Word born and how? Dec 14, 2024 - An audio version of this talk is at my podcast, Talks and Thoughts, available via podcast feeds. Sermon One (in Walshe, Complete Mystical Works) has become known as capturing the essence of Meister Eckhart’s thought. “Here, in time, we are celebrating the eternal birth which God the Father bore and bears unceasingly in eternity, because this same birth is now… … Continue reading Meister Eckhart’s Christmas Sermon One. Where is the Word born and how?
- Forms and the Reformation of Science. A conversation with Rupert Sheldrake Dec 6, 2024 - An audio version of this talk is at my podcast, Talks and Thoughts, available via podcast feeds. Forms are all around us: clouds, flowers, creatures, even systems of thought and logical relations. And yet the nature of forms is rarely part of the modern scientific conversation. In this episode of the Sheldrake-Vernon Dialogues, Rupert Sheldrake and Mark Vernon discuss the importance… … Continue reading Forms and the Reformation of Science. A conversation with Rupert Sheldrake
- “Enemies of the Human Race.” William Blake on how to know God Nov 29, 2024 - An audio version of this talk is at my podcast, Talks and Thoughts, available via podcast feeds. The text of the talk is below... The new issue of VALA, the magazine of the Blake Society, is all about God. I've an article in it on Blake's mystical knowledge of God. You can download VALA here - https://blakesociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/VALA-5.pdf. My piece is… … Continue reading “Enemies of the Human Race.” William Blake on how to know God
- The gospel, sexual desire and the abuse scandals in the church. What has the erotic to do with God? Nov 21, 2024 - An audio version of this talk is at my podcast, Talks and Thoughts, available via podcast feeds. The resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury has highlighted the horrendous nature of abuse in the church and also the church’s difficulties in dealing with these individuals. But is focusing on individuals enough or trying to address these matters through safeguarding and moral… … Continue reading The gospel, sexual desire and the abuse scandals in the church. What has the erotic to do with God?
- The Turning of the Tide. Martin Shaw on discerning the new Christian moment Nov 1, 2024 - An audio version of this talk can be found at my podcast, Talks and Thoughts, available on podcast feeds. Martin Shaw and Mark Vernon return for a second conversation following Martin’s embrace of Orthodox Christianity. The first conversation, entitled The Mossy Face of Christ, can be found on my YouTube channel. They discuss what is happening with the apparent resurgence… … Continue reading The Turning of the Tide. Martin Shaw on discerning the new Christian moment
- Purposes in nature and minds. A conversation with Rupert Sheldrake Oct 25, 2024 - An audio version of this conversation is at my podcast, Talks and Thoughts, available via podcast feeds. One of the premises of modern science is that nature is devoid of purposes. Instead, purposeless explanations for phenomena are sought. And the strategy has proved hugely productive. Except that allusions to purpose never quite fade from the scientific imagination. In this episode… … Continue reading Purposes in nature and minds. A conversation with Rupert Sheldrake
- Does the Consolation of Philosophy offered by Boethius, still work, 1500 years on? Oct 22, 2024 - An audio version of this talk is at my podcast, Talks and Thoughts, available via podcast feeds. The 1500th anniversary of the death of Boethius more than likely falls in 2024. He asks a key question: how to find true, lasting, reliable happiness? His answer, The Consolation of Philosophy, was a mediaeval bestseller, massively influencial, and is also very readable.… … Continue reading Does the Consolation of Philosophy offered by Boethius, still work, 1500 years on?