The Spirit of Play: A Conversation with Professor Douglas Hedley and Dr Stephen Blackwood
Release Date: 06/10/2024
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A conversation between Dr Iain McGilchrist, neuropsychiatrist, philosopher, and literary critic, and Dr Stephen Blackwood, President of Ralston College, on the occasion of Dr McGilchrist’s March 2024 visit to Savannah to deliver Ralston College’s annual Sophia Lectures. Dr McGilchrist discusses his experience spending time with Ralston College students, his reasons for accepting the College’s invitation to deliver the Sophia lectures, and the necessity of leisure for deep thought. Applications for Ralston College’s MA in the Humanities program are now open.
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The Education of Iain McGilchrist, Part II: Medical School and Beyond
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The second part of a conversation between the renowned literary scholar and psychiatrist Dr Iain McGilchrist and Ralston College president Dr Stephen Blackwood about Dr McGilchrist’s remarkable educational trajectory. In this episode, Dr Iain McGilchrist explains how he left his successful career as a literary scholar to pursue training as a psychiatrist and how his combined study of literature, philosophy, and neuroscience informed his later academic work, including his books The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World (Yale University Press, 2009) and...
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The Other Side of Despair: The Search for Meaning in T.S Eliot’s “The Waste Land”
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Polytheism and the Polis: The Drama of the Individual Before the Self with Paul Epstein | Ralston College
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Dr John Vervaeke is a cognitive scientist and philosopher who explores the intersections of Neoplatonism, cognitive science, and the meaning crisis, focusing on wisdom practices, relevance realization, and personal transformation. Ralston College presents a lecture titled “Levels of Intelligibility, Levels of the Self: Realizing the Dialectic,” delivered by Dr John Vervaeke, an award-winning associate professor of cognitive science at the University of Toronto and creator of the acclaimed 50-episode “Awakening from the Meaning Crisis” series. In this lecture, Dr Vervaeke identifies...
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Dr David Novak is a distinguished professor at the University of Toronto, renowned theologian, and esteemed rabbi. He has authored numerous books, delivered the prestigious Gifford Lectures, and bridges ancient philosophical traditions with modern ethical issues. Recorded live at Ralston College in Savannah, GA in November of 2022. Dr David Novak—Professor of Philosophy and Jewish Studies at the University of Toronto—offers a lecture on the Book of Job followed by an extended question and answer session with students enrolled in Ralston College’s Master’s in the...
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Unlocking Consciousness with Dr Stephen Wolfram: AI & Philosophy | Ralston College
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info_outlineIn the inaugural episode of the Sophia Lecture Series, Ralston College President Stephen Blackwood and distinguished Cambridge Professor Douglas Hedley explore "The Spirit of Play", delving into the enigmatic nature of play, its historical and philosophical significance, and its intricate connection with human culture and imagination. This discussion highlights that concept's relevance in today's society, its role in fostering a comprehensive understanding of human experience, and its importance in addressing fundamental questions of human existence. By examining the playful foundations of philosophical inquiry and the significance of imagination, this conversation encourages listeners to embrace a richer, more nuanced view of the world, ultimately challenging our understanding of human culture and intellectual pursuits.
Douglas Hedley is a distinguished philosopher at the University of Cambridge, celebrated for his extensive research in the philosophy of religion and Platonism. He is the author of multiple influential works on imagination and religious experience.
Resources
Ralston College
Website: https://www.ralston.ac/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RalstonCollegeSavannah
X: https://twitter.com/RalstonCollege
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ralstoncollege/
Douglas Hedley
https://www.divinity.cam.ac.uk/directory/douglas-hedley
https://www.ralston.ac/people/douglas-hedley
Living Forms of the Imagination -Douglas Hedley
Sacrifice Imagined: Violence, Atonement, and the Sacred - Douglas Hedley
The Iconic Imagination - Douglas Hedley
Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play-Element in Culture - Johan Huizinga
Truth and Method - Hans-Georg Gadamer
Encyclopaedia Britannica. (n.d.). Praise of Folly. Encyclopaedia Britannica.
Quotes
"The concept of play...straddles evolutionary history, psychology, ethics, aesthetics, even religion." - Douglas Hedley [00:01:24]
"Play, perhaps surprisingly, has quite a significant role in the history of philosophy." - Douglas Hedley [00:02:53]
"Metaphysics is our spiritual oxygen." - Douglas Hedley [00:17:35]
Chapters
[00:00:00] - Introduction to Professor Douglas Hedley and the Sophia Lecture Series
[00:01:20] - Discussion on the choice of “The Spirit of Play” as the lectures' topic
[00:02:00] - Explanation of play's multifaceted nature
[00:04:40] - Importance of play in understanding human experience
[00:05:00] - Recommendation of Johan Huizinga's Homo Ludens
[00:07:00] - Connection between play and the history of philosophy
[00:08:20] - Kant, Schiller, and Gadamer's perspectives on play
[00:09:20] - Ralston College as a vision of Christian humanism
[00:10:40] - Philosophy as a way of life and the importance of friendship
[00:11:20] - Learning through imitation and the educational experience
[00:12:40] - Joy from immersion in the philosophical tradition
[00:13:20] - Challenges to traditional humanities in contemporary culture
[00:14:20] - The richness of the Christian Platonic tradition
[00:15:20] - Discussion on ultimate questions independent of social constructs
[00:16:40] - The significance of beauty in the cosmos
[00:18:00] - Conclusion and appreciation for Hedley's contributions