This Philosophy Forum is based on a paper I came across in the journal ‘Philosophy Now’ which caught my interest. As a scientist myself (doctor – medical) I have been fascinated by the many new discoveries over the years, particularly in the last century or so, and even more so since the advent of computers, the internet and mobile phones. In medicine huge progress has been made, with diagnostic tests and effective treatment of diseases, along with prevention of many common illnesses and infections. ‘Progress’ is very visible to all.

So, when I saw the title ‘Is Philosophy Progressive?’ I wanted to look into this further – in other words, ‘progress’ can be viewed philosophically in many different ways. Or is the whole subject of ‘Philosophy’ just asking similar questions, but getting many different answers, depending on your point of view, and the views of eminent philosophers? Or does ‘philosophy’ just go round in endless circles, rather than ‘progressing’ (some sceptics may take that view..)?

The debate has been raging for centuries, from at least the time of Galileo, but there is always (and always will be) scope to look at both old and new issues in different ways – and aspects. Indeed, as with many debates, what do we actually mean by ‘progress’ – after all, many new scientific inventions have not always led to positive outcomes. Just look at the state of the world now, with wars and conflicts using new tools of destruction, not even imagined a few decades ago.

About the Session

This illuminating session will be led by Dr Susan Hilton. To enrich your experience, we highly recommend reading Dr Susan Hilton’s thought-provoking focus paper in advance. This resource will provide valuable context and enhance the depth of our collective exploration.

What to Expect

The Lit & Phil Philosophy Forum is a space where serious ideas meet joyful exploration. Whether you are a seasoned philosopher or a curious newcomer, our discussions are designed to foster a spirit of open-minded inquiry. We prioritise respectful dialogue, intellectual curiosity, and the shared pursuit of understanding over adversarial debate. This is philosophy as it should be; dynamic, inclusive, and profoundly engaging.

Practical Details

• Pre-Event Preparation: The focus paper can be Downloaded Here.
• Note on Attendance: Due to the popularity of these events, places are often fully booked. If you reserve a ticket but later find you cannot attend, we kindly ask that you cancel promptly to allow others the opportunity to join.

So, come along and present your point of view – or you can just absorb the discussion around you

One of the biggest challenges to Christian faith is a seemingly simple question: If God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and perfectly good, why does evil exist? This Lit & Phil Philosophy Forum explores this fundamental question and examines how Christian thinkers have tried to answer it.

We will examine three key aspects of this problem:

The Logical Challenge: Can evil and the Christian God exist at the same time, or does this create an impossible contradiction? We’ll explore four main responses from Christian thinkers:

• Divine Justice: The idea that suffering exists as a necessary consequence of human sin, starting with humanity’s first wrong choices
• Freedom of Choice: The argument that God values human free will so highly that He allows for the possibility of evil choices
• Character Development: The view that facing difficulties helps develop human virtues like courage and compassion, preparing us for a better afterlife
• Ultimate Purpose: The belief that, despite appearances, everything serves a greater good in God’s plan

The Amount of Suffering: Even if we accept that evil and God can coexist, why is there so much suffering in the world? Is the amount of pain we see really necessary? We’ll examine whether the above arguments adequately address this question.

Animal Suffering: How do we explain the suffering of animals, who aren’t moral agents making free choices? We’ll look at how Christian thinkers have tried to make sense of this particularly challenging aspect of the problem.

This seminar will encourage attendees to think critically about these deep questions while examining both historical and contemporary perspectives on the problem of evil.

The session will be presented by Andrew Bailey, and there is a focus paper written by Andrew that we recommend reading in advance to enable you to get the most out of the discussion.

Good to know: We take pride in putting the fun back into serious philosophy through our friendly and respectful discussions involving different levels of experience of philosophy.  The Lit & Phil Philosophy Forum is all about collectively exploring interesting and exciting ideas from different viewpoints … not winning arguments!

 The focus paper for reading in advance of the session, can be downloaded here.

 We are usually oversubscribed, so if you book but find out later that you cannot attend, please cancel your ticket to free up a place for someone else. Thank you.

How should society respond to crime? This engaging seminar will explore fundamental questions about justice, punishment, and the role of the state.

Together, we’ll examine:

– The moral and legal foundations of punishment: What gives a state the right to punish its citizens?

– Current debates in criminal justice: From prison overcrowding to debates about sentencing guidelines, we’ll discuss real-world challenges facing our justice system.

– Prevention versus punishment: Should we focus more on addressing the root causes of crime or on strengthening enforcement and sentences?

Whether you’re interested in philosophy, criminal justice, or current affairs, this discussion will offer valuable insights into one of society’s most pressing challenges.

The session will be presented by Dr Susan Hilton, and there is a focus paper that we recommend reading in advance to enable you to get the most out of the discussion.

Good to know: We take pride in putting the fun back into serious philosophy through our friendly and respectful discussions involving different levels of experience of philosophy.  The Lit & Phil Philosophy Forum is all about collectively exploring interesting and exciting ideas from different viewpoints … not winning arguments!

 The focus paper for reading in advance of the session, can be downloaded here.

 We are usually oversubscribed, so if you book but find out later that you cannot attend, please cancel your ticket to free up a place for someone else. Thank you.

Atheists tend to advocate the belief that there are no deities. In Western society Atheism seems to have increased in popularity as measured by census reporting and development of groups advocating a Humanist approach. However, this does raise the question of where Atheism sits in relation to religion.

How successful are atheists in moving us on from religion?  Is Atheism developing into a religion of its own?

In this Lit & Phil Philosophy Forum we will investigate aspects such as ‘what is religion?’, the differences and similarities between Theism and Atheism, and what the moral questions are that are resulting from a shift to an Atheist-based society – if that is actually the case.

The session will be presented by David Leaver, a retired priest who wrote the focus paper and who also hosts the regular podcast, ‘Church Ahead’. David will utilise his life experiences from working within the Christian Church whilst also taking a broader perspective looking at other approaches to collective approaches to modern society.

David refers to A.C Grayling’s 2023 Manchester lecture on Atheism in his paper and this can be viewed on YouTube here.

Everyone will be encouraged to become actively involved and given an opportunity to discuss their views.

Good to know: We take pride in putting the fun back into serious philosophy through our friendly and respectful discussions involving different levels of experience of philosophy.  The Lit & Phil Philosophy Forum is all about collectively exploring interesting and exciting ideas from different viewpoints … not winning arguments!

 The focus paper for reading in advance of the session, can be downloaded here.

 We are usually oversubscribed, so if you book but find out later that you cannot attend, please cancel your ticket to free up a place for someone else. Thank you.

As we ease into a new educational year, questions linger about how we should approach education in general and Higher Education in particular. Some universities are voicing concerns that they can’t make ends meet and the recent pressure to reduce foreign students is only adding to the financial challenges they face.

The Blair government set the objective for the UK to have at least 50% of its people attend university and obtain a degree, but the question remains on whether this political objective still holds true. Should education be a right for all? And at what level should the cost be transferred from the state to the individual? If you don’t enter Higher Education, why should you pay for those that do?

This Lit & Phil Philosophy Forum will investigate the current problems faced by all those involved with Higher Education, leading into philosophical discussions around topics such as how does the UK benefit from Higher Education; who should it be aimed at; is education a Human Right; and what are the general benefits of education in the first place?

The session will be presented by Manchester Lit and Phil member Richard Remelie, who wrote the focus paper. We will give everyone an opportunity to discuss their views.

Good to know: We take pride in putting the fun back into serious philosophy through our friendly and respectful discussions involving different levels of experience of philosophy.  The Lit & Phil Philosophy Forum is all about collectively exploring interesting and exciting ideas from different viewpoints … not winning arguments!

The focus paper for reading in advance of the session, can be downloaded here.

 We are usually oversubscribed, so if you book but find out later that you cannot attend, please cancel your ticket to free up a place for someone else. Thank you.

In November 2022, OpenAI made the now famous ChatGPT tool available for public use and the company has since enjoyed a swift and pervasive rise in popularity.

The use of this tool and others like it is unnervingly ubiquitous. ChatGPT’s extremely helpful tendrils have been welcomed with open arms, into all areas of life – whether we are active users or unknowing consumers of its generated content. ChatGPT can claim authorship of everything from glowing end-of-year school reports to disgruntled letters of resignation. And now it can add a Manchester Lit & Phil Philosophy Forum Focus Paper to that list (!).

The paper contains a discussion with ChatGPT in which the tool is used to explain ChatGPT itself, its pitfalls, strengths and the philosophical questions surrounding it (please see download link below). We’ll be using this to guide our conversations in the session, which will be presented by Manchester Lit and Phil member Robert Mears.

Good to know: We take pride in putting the fun back into serious philosophy through our friendly and respectful discussions involving different levels of experience of philosophy.  The Lit & Phil Philosophy Forum is all about collectively exploring interesting and exciting ideas from different viewpoints … not winning arguments!

The focus paper for reading in advance of the session, can be downloaded here.

We are usually oversubscribed, so if you book but find out later that you cannot attend, please cancel your ticket to free up a place for someone else. Thank you.

Individuals should enjoy the liberty to pursue their own preferences.

This has been a generally accepted principle of western democracy for several years, but where should the line be drawn between what an individual has the right to do and how much the state should intervene to limit an individual’s actions?

In a famous essay first published in 1958, Isaiah Berlin identified two concepts of liberty:  negative and positive. Berlin gave us two contrasting ways of thinking of liberty that built upon approaches identified by previous philosophers and is still the subject of much discussion today.

This Manchester Lit & Phil Philosophy Forum focuses on Berlin’s approach as outlined in the Focus Paper (see link below). Together we will compare Berlin’s proposals with thoughts on Liberty from two famous Philosophers: Rousseau and John Stuart Mill. We will give everyone an opportunity to discuss their views.

The session will be presented by Manchester Lit and Phil member Andrew Bailey.

Good to know: We take pride in putting the fun back into serious philosophy through our friendly and respectful discussions involving different levels of experience of philosophy.  The Lit & Phil Philosophy Forum is all about collectively exploring interesting and exciting ideas from different viewpoints … not winning arguments!

The focus paper for reading in advance of the session, can be viewed and downloaded here.

We are usually oversubscribed, so if you book but find out later that you cannot attend, please cancel your ticket to free up a place for someone else. Thank you.