Philosophy and Life
Recent writing and occasional thoughts on assorted matters.
- Purgatory online discussion! Jun 30, 2020- I've reached Canto 33 of the Purgatory, the last in the middle book of Dante's Divine Comedy. Do join me for an online discussion of the Purgatory on Sunday 12th July, 5pm BST. Be in touch - mail@markvernon.com - and keep track of Dante 20202. …
- The Inklings and the Evolution of Consciousness: a trialogue Jun 27, 2020- Jeremy Johnson writes: In this much anticipated episode, Becca Tarnas and Mark Vernon return to the Mutations podcast for a trialogue on the Inklings and the evolution of consciousness. Together we explore the prescience and relevance of J.R.R. Tolkien, Owen Barfield, and Jean Gebser respectively, during a time when history and myth appear to be intersecting, intensifying. I was honored… …
- Rupert Sheldrake & Mark Vernon on David Bohm & Infinite Potential Jun 26, 2020- A new film, Infinite Potential: The Life and Ideas of David Bohm, has just been released for free online. In this episode of the Sheldrake-Vernon Dialogues, Rupert Sheldrake and Mark Vernon discuss its excellent telling of the dramatic life and revolutionary insights of this deep scientific thinker. Rupert first met Bohm in 1982 soon after the publication of his book… …
- Dante’s Divine Comedy and Spiritual Sight Jun 20, 2020- This is a recording of a richly illustrated talk I gave online as part of St Albans Cathedral's online adult education programme. My canto by canto podcasts and YouTubes of the Divine Comedy are online. …
- A New Way of Seeing with John Vervaeke Jun 20, 2020- My discussion with John on spiritual intelligence and perceiving wider reality: covering shifts of consciousness, the links between ascent and descent, simplicity and unity, 4E cognition, the transformation of freedom, and the centrality of love in knowing and participating. …
- Psi and the Limits of Science Jun 15, 2020- This piece was written for The Idler. The modern world swears by science. If your intervention or idea is not evidence-based, you risk instant dismissal. So it’s odd when the same mindset refuses to acknowledge phenomena supported by way more evidence than, say, intergalactic dark matter or the chemical soup theory for the origins of life. I’m talking about psi… …
- Philosophy & The Creation of the Individual Jun 7, 2020- Mark Vernon chronicles a revolution in consciousness, published in Philosophy Now. (Dust in the Wind, kenlaidlaw.com) Why do we think of philosophy originating with the ancient Greeks? After all, it’s clear that the ancient Egyptians, who preceded Pythagoras and Plato, Parmenides and Aristotle, by 2,500 years, practiced wisdom too: “The power of Truth and Justice is that they prevail,” reports… …
- From Ulro to Eternity: William Blake’s fourfold vision May 19, 2020- This is the second half of a talk given to The Integral Stage as part of its series, The Future Faces of Spirit. The complete talk, along with links to others, is online here. What paths lie ahead for religion and spirituality in the 21st Century? How might the insights of modernity and post-modernity impact and inform humanity's ancient wisdom… …
- An introduction to Plato’s dialogues – online course May 19, 2020- An Introduction to Plato’s Dialogues with Mark Vernon and Tom Hodgkinson We’ve all heard of Plato, Socrates and the dialogues, particularly the Republic. But who exactly were these brilliant Greeks? How did they live and what did they teach? What was each dialogue about? In this thorough course, Idler editor Tom Hodgkinson quizzes Plato expert Dr Mark Vernon on each… …
- What would Plato do in a pandemic? May 19, 2020- What did he do? He'd treat it not only as a problem to solve but as an experience to understand. And what might be understood? "Modern people are attempting to live knowing only a fraction of what it is to be human." A piece at The Idler, launching our new Introduction to Plato's Dialogues. How might Plato address the pandemic… …