Q. When did philosophy first get its hooks into you, and was there a particular moment, teacher, or book that made you think, “Yes, this is for me”?
A. Yes – for Latin A Level, I studied Lucretius De Rerum Natura (On the Nature of Things) about Epicurus’ philosophy, and I became hooked by the freewill and determinism debate (for the record, I think they are compatible). Then, studying Classics at University, and trying to decide whether to specialise in philosophy or literature in my final year, I discovered Plato’s Symposium, a brilliant, vibrant, witty and moving dialogue in which a rich array of characters discuss the nature of erotic love, and I realised I didn’t have to choose! Plato is a great literary artist as well as a great philosopher.
Q. Of all the thinkers you could have devoted your career to, why Plato? Was it his ideas, his style, the sheer ambition of his project, or something more personal that drew you in and kept you there?
A. Well, in addition to his literary artistry, I love the fact that he never speaks in his own voice – he never tells us exactly what he thinks but compels us to think and do philosophy for ourselves. He draws us into the conversation. I also completely agree with him (following his mentor, the historic Socrates) that the two fundamental ethical questions are ‘How should I live?’ and ‘what sort of person should I be?’ It is an agent-centred approach (as opposed to the act-centred approaches of the duty-based ethics of Kant or the consequences-based ethics of Bentham and Mill), and invites us to consider the whole person, living a whole life. It invites us to consider the shape and structure and narrative of a person’s life – and of course the diverse characters in the dialogues present models to emulate and avoid.
Q. Manchester has a strong identity shaped by industry, dissent, and a certain independence of mind. Do you think Plato would have felt at home in a city like this, and if so, what do you imagine he’d be most intrigued by?
A. I think Plato would greatly have approved of Manchester’s independent and radical spirit! He would also very much have appreciated its commitment to books, life-long learning and ideas. And the philosopher who argued in the Republic that there should be Philosopher-Queens as well as Philosopher-Kings would I think have been very pleased by the bronze sculpture of the suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst in St Peter’s Square, and the Pankhurst Meeting Circle that surrounds it.
Q. The Lit & Phil was founded on the belief that learning should be shared beyond universities and elites. How important is that ideal to you personally, and does it connect with anything in Plato’s own approach to teaching and dialogue?
A. It’s hugely important to me, and the reason why I was created the world’s first (as far as I know) Professor of the Public Understanding of Philosophy – for many years I have combined academic writing and teaching with public talks and media work in television, radio and podcasts and so on, and, increasingly, also with policy and consultancy work, for example with the NHS, the Health Research Authority, the Cabinet Office and other branches of the Civil Service and the World Economic Forum. My aim is not just to expound the views of different philosophers, but to see how philosophical arguments, concepts and methods might fruitfully be applied to current challenges. I am definitely inspired by Plato in this endeavour: he wanted his dialogues to reach as wide an audience as possible, and he set up his Academy in Athens not just to train scholars such as Aristotle, but also political leaders and policy advisers. And in addition to lectures to these elite groups, he also gave public lectures (which, very unusually for the time, women could also attend).
Q. How important is it, given the amount of time and impact of social media and fake news, that young people learn how to think critically, and how can Philosophy help with this?
A. I think it is absolutely vital – for their individual psychological and physical wellbeing, and also for communal issues such as the protection of democracy, combatting pandemics and dealing with climate change. Many subjects can help young people think critically and assess the veracity of verbal and visual sources and the validity of arguments, but philosophy is exceptionally well-equipped to do this. I would love social media platforms to be subject to publishing editorial controls, but that seems a long way off, so we must give young people the tools to see through the smoke-and-mirrors of the snake oil merchants trying to deceive, divide and manipulate them. Another point in philosophy’s favour is that through its use of imaginary scenarios, counter-factuals and so on, it can also foster creative as well as analytic skills, creativity that the twenty-first century very clearly needs.
Q. Away from lecture theatres and libraries, what does Angie Hobbs enjoy? Are there interests, hobbies, or even guilty pleasures that might surprise people who only know you as a Plato scholar, and do any of them feed back into how you think about philosophy?
A. I have many interests! Music, the theatre, travelling, nature in both its wild and gardened forms, walking, swimming and yoga … and many sports, especially cricket! I love Test Match Special and one of my happiest days was being interviewed by Jonathan Agnew in View from the Boundary. And I have an extensive knowledge of herbs (and grow a wide variety), and brew many of my own concoctions for minor ailments (though I use standard medicine too).
Q. Because you spend your life thinking carefully and philosophically, how easy do you find it to make snap decisions in everyday life, or do you find yourself mentally arguing both sides first?
A. I’m pretty decisive in terms of everyday and aesthetic decisions – I usually choose pretty quickly if I am buying clothes or selecting a paint colour. I do try to think difficult ethical issues through carefully in a general way, in the hope that when I am called upon to make a quick decision in a crisis or personal situation, I will have done a fair bit of the thinking in advance and will be able to apply the general principles to the particular circumstances. I find that I am very often applying an updated version of Plato’s ethics and (small ‘p’) politics of flourishing.
Thank you to Professor Angie Hobbs for taking the time to answer our questions.
Our event – Why Plato Matters Now – takes place at the RNCM in Manchester on Wednesday 11 March.
