The Ethical Record Vol. 89 No. 2 FEBRUARY 1 984 EDITORIAL of hand—no clear-cut issues, no Think, Discuss, Define wide enough consensus. But it is IN THE STREAM of information winter and the weather dithers cold about events that assails those of or wet; days are too short. us who believe we keep (even a Of course decisions are being little) abreast of those events and made, based on assumptions about the news, can we deduce in what the needs of people, about their direction 1984, advancing apace, is nature and, sometimes, tentatively, going? What happenings will on the future. These decisions will become the historical bench- in fact, seriatim, determine what marks? Can we discern the valid happens (that's why such things are from the outpourings about some so important—though it does not non-event, distinguish the accuracy mean that what is is intended to of the optimistic or pessimistic happen will do so). prognostications? At South Place we have the self- It is bad enough looking back imposed duty to think; helped by and trying to determine what was the most able lecturers we are able of importance in the past—or to to muster: maybe to define con- look forward to try to predict cepts, elucidate situations, explore likely developments. In the test- attitudes, correlate information, tube of actuality itself, the suggest necessary actions. This (chemical) reactions are too close issue contains a number of contri- and confusing! butions of importance in this On the economic front, hints of respect—both from lecturers and "revivals" are made, then with- by members: and, at the meetings, drawn; fears of disasters appear discussions continue to be lively and fade again; in politics a feel- and, largely, coherent—lecturers ing grows that things are often out Concluded on page 2 CONTENTS Coming to Conway Hall: Tom Evans, Joan Freedman, Peter Hcales, Stephen Houseman, Marcia Saunders Anthony Smith, Barbara Smoker, Harry Stopes-Roe . 2 Human Scale in Philosophy: Peter Heales • 3 What is this Third World?: Nicholas Hyman . 8 From the Honorary Representative: Ray Lovecy . 9 From the Secretary: Elizabeth Sutton . 10 Viewpoints: Betty and Sam Beer, Peter Cadogan, Cohn Mills, R. C. Proctor, George Watford . 12-15 The views expressed in this journal are not necessarily those of the Society. Microfilm and reprints available—details on request. PUBLISHED BY THE SOUTH PLACE ETHICAL SOCIETY CONWAY HALL, RED LION SQUARE, LONDON WC1R 4RL Telephone: 01-242 8032 (Answering machine out of hours) SOUTH PLACE ETHICAL SOCIETY Appointed Lecturers: H. J. Blackham, Lord Brockway, Richard Clements, OBE, T. F. Evans, Peter Heales, Harry Stopes-Roe, Nicolas Walter . Hall Manager: Jim Smith (tel. 01-242 8032) Secretary: Elizabeth Sutton (Wed-Fri, tel. 01-242 8033) Honorary Representative: Ray Lovecy Chairman General Committee: Fanny Cockerel] Deputy Chairman: Norman Bacrac Honorary Registrar: Cynthia Blezard Honorary Treasurer: Ben Roston Honorary Librarian: Jim Herrick Editor, The Ethical Record: Peter Hunot COMING TO CONWAY HALL Sunday morning meetings at 11.00 am in the Library February 5. Tom EVANS. The Price and the Value. February 12. H. STOPES-ROE. The Open Society. February 19. BARBARA SMOKER. Atheist Liberation. February 26. ANTHONY SMITH. The Communications Revolution. March 4. PETER HEALES. The Philosopher King : Myth, Fantasy or Attain- able Ideal. March 11. STEPHEN HOUSEMAN. Must Man Be Rational? . Sunday FORUMS at 3.00 pm in the Library February 12. MARCIA SAUNDERS. Democracy and the NHS. February 26. DAVID HASLAM. The Interdependence of Rich and Poor. Sunday SOCIAL at 3.00 pm in the Library February 19. JOAN FREEDMAN will give an illustrated talk on The Joys of a Painting Holiday (Rain, Wind or Shine). Tea at 4.30 p.m. Dates to Note:—At the General Committee Meeting on January I I, it was agreed to hold the Society's Annual General Meeting on Sunday, May 20, at 2.30 p.m. It was also announced that scientist Sir Alan Cotterell, FRS, Master, Jesus College, Cambridge, had agreed to give this year's Conway Memorial Lecture on Thursday, May 10. February Concerts Sunday February 5 at 6.30 pm Hanson String Quartet. HAYDN, BRITTEN, BRAHMS. Continued from page one often leaving with thanks for a to us this year, we can continue to useful exchange of ideas, study the background and to help So, though it may be difficult to to define the ethical bases for pin-point what is really happening human activity. 2 Human Scale in Philosophy By PETER HEALES His lecture to SPES on Sunday, July 3, 1983 PHILOSOPHY has always had a reputation of being abstract and remote from the concerns of "real life". Today, perhaps, that reputation is stronger than ever. The study of philosophy (as opposed to "philosophising", that practice often despised by the professional philosopher) is now an academic.discipline controlled by examining bodies and by the demands of academic careers. Its purpose eludes most laymen, though the more cynical would maintain that its only object is to ensure the continued existence of philosophy departments. A more reasonable approach would be to compare the work done in philosophy departments with the research carried out in, say the science departments of universities. The layman of today displays a touching faith in the value of such work, believing that all such work contributes to the grand design of scientific discovery and technological advance. He is helped in his faith not only by a popular mythology of science but also by a scientific press which can invest a project requiring years of painstaking work with the fantasy and romanticism of a detective novel. I am not suggesting that the "layman" is grossly misled; but I am suggesting that his appreciation is uncritical. Describe to him the actual work of a group of actual scientists in a research laboratory and he may be hard put to it to see any connection with the tangible results from which he benefits in everyday life. A similar situation pertains in the case of philosophy. The work of professional philosophers is in itself abstract and of little interest to anyone else, but it does produce practical results in everyday life. Activities which impinge on our everyday lives, such as administration, legislation, medicine, politics, are all influenced, albeit indirectly, by the techniques of thought, analysis and argument developed in the philosophical "laboratory". The current developments in "information technology" also owe much to the pioneering work of philosophers and logicians. The analogy between philosophy and science is valid up to a point, but must not be carried too far. The differences are probably greater than the similarities. Firstly, in so far as philosophy is useful, its use is most apparent in those areas of our lives covered by "the humanities". To borrow jargon from the world of computers, science is mainly (though not exclusively) applicable to the "hardware" in our lives; the physical environment; our Sunday February 12 at 6.30 pm. Allegri-Robles Ensemble. DEBUSSY, MOZART, RAVEL. Sunday February 19 at 6.30 pm. Chilingirian String Quartet (in aid of the Musicians' Benevolent Fund). HAYDN, TIPPETT, SCHUBERT. Sunday February 26 at 6.30 pm. Amici String Quartet. HAYDN, ARRIAGA. Colin Horsley. DVORAK. March Concerts Sunday March 4 at 6.30 pm. Lindsay String Quarter. PURCELL, TIPPETT, DVORAK. Sunday March 11 at 6.30 pm. London Festival Players.. BEETHOVEN, SCHUBERT. 3 bodies regarded as machines or objects; the physical tools we use. By contrast, philosophy is principally (though again not exclusively) of use with the "software" in our lives; principles of conduct, aims and intentions, ways of looking at and judging events, and methods of expressing all these publicly. Secondly, and perhaps as an extension of the first point, the application of philosophy touches us individually. We do not want to leave "to the experts" those areas of our lives addressed by philosophy as we are content to do with the sciences and professions. This fact no doubt explains some of the dissatisfaction felt over the remoteness of the modern academic philosopher. We expect anyone who claims to be a philosopher to address himself in some way to our personal needs and concerns and not to be merely a worker in an abstract field, apparently disinterested in life and living. Abstract Thinking Is Essential Philosophy has always dealt in abstractions; there has always been difficulties of communication between philosophers and others because of that. Indeed it is that ability to get at the abstractions behind our ordinary concrete thinking which makes philosophical thinking valuable and powerful. Abstract thinking is essential to all positive and creative human activity; philosophy develops that mode of thinking to a high degree and uses it to reflect upon our activities. Philosophy is for that reason a difficult discipline; the issue however is not whether individuals find it difficult to gain access to philosophy, but whether the discipline can be used for practical and realistic purposes. History furnishes examples of philosophy in use. Arguably the most famous philosopher of all time was Socrates. The "Socratic" method of teaching is often discussed. He himelf is reported to have likened himself to a "midwife", bringing forth the ideas and principles which his subjects hold within themselves perhaps unknowingly. In Plato's dialogue "Meno" he is portrayed demonstrating that an uneducated slave can recall a mathematical theorem without the benefit of prior tuition. Whatever we think today of Socrates' alleged technique, it is clear that he fulfilled the role that is now occupied by a trained counsellor. A second role which philosophy has traditionally played is that of rationalisation (often but not always in the best sense of that term).