Speaker

Julian Baggini

Co-founder and editor of The Philosophers’ Magazine, author of The Duck That Won The Lottery

"Equating freedom with an absent state is an old conservative trick that suits only those who don’t need protecting"

Julian Baggini is a philosopher, journalist and author of over 20 books about Philosophy for the general reader. He is the co-founder of co-founder and editor of The Philosophers’ Magazine, who also writes and broadcasts for The Guardian and the BBC. Baggini is the author of Freedom Regained: The Possibility of Free Will, The Ego Trick: and The Duck That Won The Lottery.

His books have granted him critical acclaim for his efforts to popularise philosophy. He has also written for the New Humanist magazine, Guardian, the Financial times and Wall Street Journal. He is also the academic director of the Royal Institute of Philosophy.

"ingenious and open-hearted" - The Scotsman

"Equating freedom with an absent state is an old conservative trick that suits only those who don’t need protecting"

Julian Baggini is a philosopher, journalist and author of over 20 books about Philosophy for the general reader. He is the co-founder of co-founder and editor of The Philosophers’ Magazine, who also writes and broadcasts for The Guardian and the BBC. Baggini is the author of Freedom Regained: The Possibility of Free Will, The Ego Trick: and The Duck That Won The Lottery.

His books have granted him critical acclaim for his efforts to popularise philosophy. He has also written for the New Humanist magazine, Guardian, the Financial times and Wall Street Journal. He is also the academic director of the Royal Institute of Philosophy.

"ingenious and open-hearted" - The Scotsman

More Videos

A hand holds an illustration of human evolution, while a person with a camera stands against a stone wall, blending art and modernity.

Julian Baggini,Dylan Evans,Jasper Fforde,Eliane Glaser

Imagining Reality

Can we create fantasy worlds?

Illustration of a bearded man with a serious expression, holding a cigar, accompanied by a comical caricature of a nose, glasses, and mustache.

Julian Baggini,Caspar Melville,Katy Brand,John Ó Maoilearca

The Laughing Philosopher

Does comedy hold the key to truth and morality?

Close-up of an open Bible page displaying Psalm 23, with a decorative cross resting on it.

Laurence Scott,Julian Baggini,Shahidha Bari,Deborah Levy

Stranger Than We Think

Do supernatural beliefs reflect the limits of human understanding?

A person in a casual jacket speaks in a colorful, decorated tent, with a welcoming expression and gesturing with one hand.

The Ego Trick

Is the self an illusion?

A man with glasses speaks into a microphone, against a patterned background. He appears engaged in a discussion or presentation.

Henrietta Moore,Julian Baggini,Barry C. Smith,Martin Jacques,Simon May

Who Looks Back in the Mirror

Are we any closer to understanding the self, and what makes each one of us who we are?

A vibrant artwork of Nelson Mandela, featuring a raised fist in celebration, surrounded by a background of colorful postage stamps representing South Africa.

Julian Baggini,Richard Coles,Andrew Bowie,Edwina Currie

Being Certain

Are convictions dangerous?

A crowd of diverse hands raised high against a blue sky, symbolizing unity and engagement in a collective effort or protest.

The Uses and Abuses of Populism

Is populism just a term of abuse for democracy we don't like?

A glowing light bulb sits on a cracked, dry surface, illuminating the surrounding darkness with a warm yellow light.

Julian Baggini,Justina Robson,,Peter Sedgwick

Why we all need Big Ideas

A woman in a dark turtleneck looks at a smiling man in a light pink shirt, both engaging in conversation against a colorful, sparkling background.

Julian Baggini,Marika Taylor

Head to Head: Philosophy vs Science

Does science need philosophy?

Julian Baggini,Myriam Francois,Ece Temelkuran,David Chandler

The hypocrisy of the good

Do strict moral codes prevent immoral acts?

A glowing light bulb with intricate neural patterns inside, symbolizing creativity and innovative thought against a dark background.

Julian Baggini,Güneş Taylor,Ben Burgis,Ellen Clarke

The ignorance of experts

Can we rely on science for the answers?

A woman in a polka dot dress speaks passionately, with a faded portrait of another smiling woman in the background.

Julian Baggini,Peter Atkins,Philip Goff,Güneş Taylor,Melanie Challenger

Life, the universe, and everything else

Has science rendered philosophy redundant?

A collection of diverse hands forming a heart shape against a soft gray background, symbolizing unity and love.

The Self Around the World

Why the East/West Distinction is Wrong

A vibrant, abstract swirl of colors featuring pink, blue, green, and yellow tones, creating a dynamic and visually engaging pattern.

Julian Baggini,Mark Salter,Eileen Hall,James Rucker

Truth, delusion and psychedelic reality

Are psychedelics a window into reality?

Three stone crosses atop a rocky formation, set against a vibrant, multicolored sunset sky.

Atheism revisited

Changing beliefs in the Western world

An illustration of multiple colorful hands casting votes into a ballot box, symbolizing participation in elections and democracy.

Mary Ann Sieghart,Julian Baggini,Matthew Taylor,Claire Fox

Power to the people

The future of democracy

A silhouette of a human head with a compass overlay, set against an abstract textured background, symbolizing guidance and navigation of thoughts.

Julian Baggini,Robert Rowland Smith,Peter Singer,Sophie Scott-Brown

The good, the bad, and the ignored

The fantasy of agency

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Julian Baggini,Hilary Lawson,David Aaronovitch,Julie Bindel,Minna Salami

Postmodernism in the dock

Are we right to abandon objective truth?

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Julian Baggini | In-depth Interview

How can philosophy improve public life?

Julian Baggini,Barry C. Smith,Güneş Taylor,Tommy J. Curry

The passion of reason

Does emotion rule over reason?

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Julian Baggini,Isabel Hilton,Jamie Whyte,Vivienne Shue

The Future of Thought

Is the sun setting on Western ideas?

A dimly lit corridor featuring six doors, five in shades of gray and one prominently in red, creating a striking focal point.

Julian Baggini,Sarah Garfinkel,Peter Godfrey-Smith,Alex O'Connor

The future of freedom

Can experiments settle the free will debate?

A man in a suit sits thoughtfully on a blue chair, with sunflowers and greenery in the background, discussing a topic.

Julian Baggini,Hilary Lawson,David Aaronovitch,Hannah Dawson,Paul Broks

In search of freedom

Do we choose to follow the rules?