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Blinded by the Light

Metaphors of truth and reality

Angie Hobbs, Barry C Smith, Don Cupitt, Simon Armitage.

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The Debate

Ever since Plato described shadows on the walls of the allegorical cave, light has been a metaphor for truth. Heaven is full of light. Hell is in darkness. But could it be that darkness offers a richer and more exciting place? Is the potential of the unknown more important than the idea that we can see things as they really are?

The Panel

In this debate, 'radical theologian’ Don Cupitt, leading poet Simon Armitage, and philosophers Angie Hobbs and Barry C. Smith examine the impact of metaphors of light & darkness on knowledge, truth and reality in philosophy.

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Jump to what you want to see in the debate
  • Barry C Smith
    The Pitch
    Philosopher of mind refutes the distinction between appearance and reality
  • Simon Armitage
    The Pitch
    The leading poet believes that there is no truth, just metaphors
  • Angie Hobbs
    The Pitch
    The classicist seeks to be aware of metaphors
  • Don Cupitt
    The Pitch
    Radical theologian believes that you can’t have reality without metaphors
  • The Debate
    Theme One
    Light and dark, reality and illusion
  • The Debate
    Theme Two
    Is the world metaphor?
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EccentricaGalumb on 10/12/2012 3:29pm

Darkness will always have more influence over human development than 'truth' possibly can. The unknown is alluring, endless, vast - whereas any contrived notions of truth that we have constructed have consistently shown themselves to be myopic and limiting.

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