Topics for future discussion

In the 'subpages' listed at the bottom of this page are upcoming topics - one to a page.

The topics on this page in the list below (not the subpages linked at the bottom) have been agreed for future discussion. Topics in the list below have been agreed but have not been assigned a date. Please let the group know if you'd like to present on one of these, or if you would like to present on a topic not listed here.

  1. Progressive Christianity. Materials are here (not yet fully compiled).
  2. Designer Babies. What are the ethics of exercising choices about the children we have, based on pre-birth genetic testing? What about genetic modification?
  3. What is your favourite art form (music, literature, drama, painting etc) and why? What are the relative advantages of different art forms? Are some more ephemeral than others?
  4. Religion as myth and therapy. Can a religion be beneficial to the individual and to society even if its claims are not true? What about other, non-religious myths? Should we discourage people from forming worldviews based on myth, or embrace it for its positive psychological effects? There's a paper by David A. Leeming entitled 'Myth and Therapy' that may be a good source for this.
  5. Continental philosophy. We might pick a short piece by a Continental philosopher that writes in a particularly difficult way, like Heidegger, Derrida or Lacan, and see what we can make of it.
  6. What is Hinduism all about? Most Westerners have a pretty good idea what Christianity, Islam and Judaism are about, but Eastern religions are a big mystery. What interesting insights or ways of looking at life can be found amongst the myth and ritual? We need to find a source for this. Perhaps something by Alan Watts or Krishnamurti. This topic could be anything in Eastern philosophy or mysticism rather than just Hinduism. If we could find a knowledgeable Hindu to present as special guest for this session that would be excellent.
  7. Aging. What are society's and individuals' feelings and beliefs about ageing? How rational are they? Should we try to change our/their feelings and beliefs? How?
  8. Malcolm Gladwell's ideas on satire, as discussed in his Revisionist History podcast c.2017-18.
  9. How should we listen to music?
  10. How should we read books?