Public Lecture Series
We regularly offer public lecture programmes to enable the public to engage with philosophy, the Department and its work. The Department of Philosophy also hosts the Donnellan Lecture series which dates back to 1794.
During the 2018-2019 academic year, the Department is pleased to host the following lecture series:
Great Philosophers (Michaelmas Term 2018)
Following on from last year’s highly successful course, this course introduces a further selection of great philosophers who helped form Western civilization. Crucial ideas about the nature of reality, humankind’s place in the world, the good society, human destiny, values and knowledge were articulated and developed by these thinkers. Each lecture is an introduction to the life, work, context and impact of the philosopher in question. The schedule can be found here.
Lecturers
The lecturers are drawn from the staff of the Department of Philosophy at Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin.
How to apply
Register online:
Fee
The cost for the full series is €100. Concession rate (€50) is available to students, unemployed persons and those in receipt of a social welfare pension.
Date, time and place
There will be eleven lectures beginning on Tuesday 11th September 2018 from 7.30 p.m. to 9 p.m., in the Thomas Davis Theatre (room 2043), Arts Building, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin, Dublin 2. Please note there will be no lecture on Tuesday 23rd October 2018.
Further information
Philosophy Department, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin, T: 01 896 1529,
E: Philosophy@tcd.ie, www.tcd.ie/philosophy/events
Slides and Handouts
- 11 September 2018: Aristotle (Prof. Paul O'Grady)
- 18 September 2018: Lucretius (Dr Ben White)
- 25 September 2018: Thomas Reid (Mr Peter West)
- 2 October 2018: Mary Astell (Dr Kenny Pearce)
- 9 October 2018: Friedrich Nietzsche (Prof. Vasilis Politis)
- 16 October 2018: Gottlob Frege (Dr Keith Begley)
- 30 November 2018: Bertrand Russell (Prof. Jim Levine)
- 6 November 2018: Simone De Beauvoir (Dr Alison Fernandes)
- 13 November 2018: John Rawls (Dr Brian Carey)
- 20 November 2018: Philippa Foot (Dr Lizzy Ventham)
- 27 November 2018: Judith Butler (Prof. Lilian Alweiss)
Big Questions in Philosophy (Hilary Term 2019)
Following on from last year’s highly successful course, this course introduces a further selection of great questions facing humankind. Topics such as whether we have free will, what’s the basis of morality, is there any certain knowledge, what is meaning, what is the relation of mind to body will be addressed. Each lecture is a stand-alone topic and presupposes no prior knowledge of philosophy. The schedule can be found here.
Lecturers
The lecturers are drawn from the staff of the Department of Philosophy at Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin.
How to apply
Register online:
Fee
The cost for the full series is €100. Concession rate (€50) is available to students, unemployed persons and those in receipt of a social welfare pension.
Date, time and place
There will be eleven lectures beginning on Tuesday 22nd January 2019 from 7.30 p.m. to 9 p.m., in the Thomas Davis Theatre (room 2043), Arts Building, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin, Dublin 2. Please note there will be no lecture on Tuesday 5th March 2019.
Further information
Philosophy Department, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin, T: 01 896 1529, E: Philosophy@tcd.ie, www.tcd.ie/philosophy/events
Slides and Handouts
- 22 January 2019: What is relativism? (Prof. Paul O'Grady)
- 29 January 2019: Why should we care about what a thing essentially is, its essence? (Prof. Vasilis Politis)
- 05 February 2019: What is the relationship between the mind and the brain? (Dr Ben White)
- 12 February 2019: What, if anything, do we owe to future generations? (Dr Brian Carey)
- 19 February 2019: Can God be free? (Dr Kenneth Pearce)