School Analytic philosophy Region Western philosophy Era Contemporary philosophy | Role Philosopher Name Stephen Law | |
 | ||
Alma mater City University London
Trinity College, Oxford
The Queen's College, Oxford Education Long Road Sixth Form College, University of Oxford Books The Philosophy Gym: 25, The war for children's minds, Great Philosophers, Humanism: A Very Short Intr, Believing Bullshit: How Not t | ||
In conversation with richard dawkins hosted by stephen law
Stephen Law is an English philosopher and Reader in Philosophy at Heythrop College, University of London. He also edits the philosophical journal Think, which is sponsored by the Royal Institute of Philosophy and published by the Cambridge University Press. Law lives in Oxford, England, with his wife and two daughters. He is a Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts and Commerce, and in 2008 became the Provost of the Centre for Inquiry UK. Law has published both a variety of academic papers and more popular, introductory books (including three children's philosophy books). Law has debated many Christian apologists, theologians and scientists, including William Lane Craig, Alvin Plantinga, Alister McGrath, John Lennox and Denis Alexander.
Contents
- In conversation with richard dawkins hosted by stephen law
- Peter atkins debates stephen law science or philosophy which is best world humanist congress
- Academic history
- The Great Philosophers
- The Philosophy Gym
- Chapter list
- The War for Childrens Minds
- Works
- References
Peter atkins debates stephen law science or philosophy which is best world humanist congress
Academic history
Stephen Law attended Long Road Sixth Form College, in Cambridge, England. However, having been "asked to leave", he began his working life as a postman. At 24 he successfully managed to persuade City University in London to accept him for the BSc in Philosophy, despite his lack of A levels. There he managed to achieve a first class honours, allowing him to move on to Trinity College, Oxford, to read for a B.Phil in Philosophy. He was also for three years a Junior Research Fellow at The Queen's College, Oxford, where he obtained a doctorate in Philosophy. As well as his higher education work, he gives conferences with Julie Arliss and Andrew Pinsent.
Law has published academic papers on a variety of topics including Wittgenstein, modality, and philosophy of mind (for example, "Loar's Defence of Physicalism", Ratio 2004). His most recent focus is on philosophy of religion. Recent publications include:
The Great Philosophers
The Great Philosophers: The Lives and Ideas of History's Greatest Thinkers was published in 2008. It covers 50 "great thinkers" but very briefly with only a few pages for each. It is a brief introduction for readers with little previous knowledge of philosophy.
The Philosophy Gym
Law's book The Philosophy Gym is an introduction to philosophical thinking aimed at adults. It covers twenty-five philosophical questions, chosen for their relevance to today's society. The book aims for accessibility. This is often done, as in "What's wrong with gay sex?", by putting the question into a theatrical script.
The German version of The Philosophy Gym won the first Mindelheim Philosophy Prize in 2009.
Chapter list
The War for Children's Minds
Law's The War for Children's Minds discusses different approaches to moral and religious education. The book was written as a response to academic and more popular tabloid calls for a less relativist morality in schools, justified by the West's current "moral malaise" and the rise of moral and cultural relativism. Law disagrees with these arguments, concluding that there is, in fact, every reason to be very liberal indeed in our approach to moral and religious education, so long as "liberal" is properly understood. He aims to "nail" certain widespread anti-liberal myths, including the myth that the Enlightenment was responsible for the Holocaust, that liberals are moral relativists, and so on. While not opposing faith schools, Law nevertheless recommends certain basic minimum standards that all schools should be expected to meet, such as encouraging an open, questioning attitude in pupils regarding moral and religious issues. Phillip Pullman said about the book, "should be read by every teacher, every parent, and every politician." The book was widely featured in the media, including on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.