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Philosophy at Cambridge Newsletter of the Faculty of Philosophy Philosophy at Cambridge Newsletter of the Faculty of Philosophy Issue 1 May 2004 From the Chairman WRITING ABOUT SIN Simon Blackburn Welcome to the first issue of the Philosophy Faculty’s Newsletter. We When, eighteen months ago, I was not only that; there is in it also a plan to publish it annually. asked to give a public lecture on one of delight of the mind: for it consisteth the Seven Deadly Sins, in a series of two appetites together, to please, The Faculty has now settled into its jointly mounted by the New York and to be pleased; and the delight new premises at the top of the Raised Public Library and Oxford University men take in delighting, is not sensual, Faculty Building, a move to which so Press, several sins had already been but a pleasure or joy of the mind many of you contributed so bagged. I was offered the choice of consisting in the imagination of the generously. And we are already sloth, anger, or lust. Each was power they have so much to please. looking to expand a little further. The tempting, and each had a good English Faculty has a splendid (or do philosophical pedigree. But I felt that I also enjoyed contrasting the I just mean huge?) new building, only lust had star quality. standard Platonic story of ascent, which means that all the space I had scarcely accepted when I whereby lust for sex with an individual occupied by their library in the RFB became aware of my disqualifications politely gives way to an abstract love will shortly become vacant. as a middle-aged (at best), academic, of beauty, with the more earthy male, heterosexual, English Shakespearean view in which erotic It isn’t just architecturally that we are grandfather. Practically a paid-up love is the domain of unreasonable broadening out – we are also member of the patriarchy, how could I dotings, fiction, madness, bubbles, and hammering at the walls between move a step without outraging illusion. It is not so obvious why we academic philosophy and the rest of feminists, queer theorists, victims and ought to prefer the latter, which leaves the world. Professor Blackburn’s campaigners for victims, of every hue? it an option that we ought to take our introductory book Think has sold I saw myself driven from the stage for lust neat. well over 100,000 copies and been using the wrong pronoun. I saw armies Writing up the lecture for translated into more than a dozen of therapists offering me help. And publication proved surprisingly languages. And an exciting new then, what should I expect from the difficult. Academic philosophy, let venture, the Forum for Philosophy in New York audience? There was the alone theology, is no friend to the light Business (see p. 2) is gathering fate of my distinguished Cambridge touch, and at times it seemed hard to momentum. predecessor, Bertrand Russell, who in bear the relentless disapproval of 1941 was stripped of his appointment Augustine, Aquinas and Kant. I won’t With University funding even more at the College of the city of New York, spoil the ending, but on the whole uncertain than usual the Faculty is after a macabre witch-hunt, on the humanity does not come out too badly. seeking greater financial grounds that his works were independence. A project is afoot to ‘lecherous, libidinous, lustful, Simon Blackburn FBA find endowment-money for the venerous, erotomaniac, aphrodisiac, Professor of Philosophy. His book Professorship previously held by irreverent, narrow-minded, untruthful Lust is part of the The Seven Deadly Wittgenstein. Please wish us luck – and bereft of moral fiber’. Sins series, and it is published by and remember us when you win the My general thesis was to be that OUP, 2004. National Lottery … Lust should be shifted from the category of Sin to that of Virtue. We hope you enjoy the Newsletter. David Hume defined a virtue as Our grateful thanks to those who any quality of mind that is useful have contributed to it. or agreeable to ourselves or others. Lust qualifies in spades. Edward Craig FBA But my leading witness was the Knightbridge Professor of Philosophy, philosopher Thomas Hobbes, Chairman of the Philosophy Faculty who said that Board The appetite which men call By permission of the Syndics Cambridge University Library lust…is a sensual pleasure, but Walter Crane (1845–1915), Beauty and the Beast Philosophy at Cambridge page 1 May 2004 Scott, with inspiration from Maurice Biriotti, a Cambridge alumnus now running a consultancy (SHM). He continues to give advice and encouragement. The Forum’s purpose is to bring together academic philosophers with practitioners in business, the professions and public life. It also aims to create new links with neighbouring academic disciplines. IV Activities In November 2003, the Forum held a The Forum seminar on intellectual property with philosophers, lawyers, and business strategists. In January 2004, a workshop on for philosophy in business corporate governance was jointly run by the Forum, Cambridge’s Centre for Business addressing abstract problems can Research and LSE’s Centre for Analysis of lead to practical results. Risk and Regulation. Among the participants Intellectual property is a topical were representatives from the Foundation for example. Lawyers and economists Independent Directors, Reuters, accountants dominate the field. Yet at its heart BDO Stoy Hayward, and The Change lie conceptual distinctions that Partnership. need philosophical attention. For Supported by a Faculty Award from IBM, example, there is increasing the Forum is running a seminar series on pressure to patent gene sequences: trust throughout 2004. Participants include how else can businesses be Sir Patrick Cormack MP, Dr David Halpern persuaded to invest in R&D? (Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit), Dame Legally, only inventions, not Patricia Hodgson (Committee for Standards discoveries, are patentable. So in Public Life), Sir David Omand (Security isolated sequences are now being and Intelligence Co-ordinator), Professor treated as inventions. But the Onora O’Neill (Principal of Newnham arguments for this move are College), Mr Chris Swinson (Senior Partner, specious. It is also surprising that BDO Stoy Hayward), Lord Wilson (former I Head in the clouds or feet on much of the argument about intellectual Cabinet Secretary) and Sir Robin Young the ground? property rights simply assumes (Permanent Secretary, DTI). Philosophy’s reputation for ethereal utilitarianism, a theory which Bernard contemplation is as old as the subject itself. Williams declared to be on its last legs in Yet many philosophers have engaged directly 1973. A premature verdict perhaps, but a V Intellectual fundraising The Forum aims to facilitate dialogue. in the practical world: Locke, Smith, Bentham, good dose of scepticism about the theory Philosophy has a great deal of untapped Mill and Russell are obvious examples. would certainly enhance the debate. resources to offer practitioners and, as we The truth is that, for all its abstractions, Another example is ‘corporate social have learned, practitioners have as much to philosophy confronts issues underlying many responsibility’ (CSR). Corporate websites are offer philosophers. Which is where you, the decisions now facing professionals, business awash with talk of responsibilities to society alumni, come in. Doubtless you have asked leaders and policy makers. and the environment. But disagreement is whether your philosophical education has also rife. While BP and Shell are CSR made any difference to the way you do your devotees, ExxonMobil’s Chairman protests: II Examples job. You may also know of practical issues Trust in business, government and the media ‘we don’t invest to make social statements at that philosophy should examine and make is sharply declining. Forms of managerial the expense of shareholder return’. Milton more of. Our aim is to create a dialogue with accountability are supposed to restore it. But Friedman denounced CSR as ‘pure and interested alumni on just these points. the resulting ‘audit explosion’ has done more adulterated socialism’, yet the left complains Next year, we shall be organizing an harm than good, and trust keeps declining. that it usurps the proper role of government. alumni open day, with talks from alumni In her 2002 Reith Lectures, Onora O’Neill Behind these political quarrels are questions and academic philosophers, allowing viewed the problem from a philosophical about the coherence of ascribing corporate opportunities for discussion and debate, as perspective. Autonomous individuals should responsibilities, and about the proper way to well as for catching up. If you are interested place trust intelligently, not blindly. discharge them. There is also a problem of in participating – or in the Forum more Intelligent trust requires evidence of trust here. CSR talk is easily construed as generally – please write and tell us about trustworthiness, but this evidence is not cynical PR: looking good rather being good. yourself: when you studied philosophy, what automatically delivered by accountability, if Call it the ‘Cosmethics Business’. And why you have done since and which that simply means demanding ever more trust corporations which seek ethical philosophical topics you think the Forum information. Information must be intelligible reputations, when individuals doing the same should tackle. and its authors properly interrogated, would be deemed smug and opportunistic? otherwise opacity, not transparency, will Alex Oliver and Dominic Scott result. Before steps can be taken to restore III The Forum For information about the Forum, trust, O’Neill shows the need to think These examples show that philosophy can see www.phil.cam.ac.uk through these concepts of trust, and should do more to engage with practical The Forum can be contacted at the accountability and transparency. Her views problems. The Forum for Philosophy in Faculty’s address or via email [phil- are now resonating with practitioners.
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