Public Engagement

In addition to stimulate debate with other researchers, clinicians and the general public on Facebook, Twitter and the Imperfect Cognitions blog, we participated in two public engagement event during the project.

Detailed below!

Arts & Science Festival, University of Birmingham

Arts Building, 17th March 2014, 1:00-3:00 pm

Kengo Miyazono organised a Public Engagement activity at the University of Birmingham during the Arts & Science Festival in March 2014.

The purpose was to discuss the relationship between psychiatric diagnosis and responsibility for action, based on some case studies.

The event included:

  • a talk by Dr Matthew Broome, clinical and academic psychiatrist at the University of Oxford
  • a brief commentary by Professor Lisa Bortolotti, philosopher at the University of Birmingham
  • a Q&A session with the public
  • a short break with refreshments
  • a discussion group moderated by Ema Sullivan-Bissett and Kengo Miyazono, with the participation of doctoral students Ben Costello, Sarah-Louise Johnson and Rachel Gunn; follow-up online activities.

The event was free and open to the general public.

Wolfson Theatre, London School of Economics, 27th May, 6:30-8:00 pm

Panel discussion with:

  • Lisa Bortolotti, Professor of Philosophy, University of Birmingham
  • Maria Alvarez, Reader in Philosophy, King's College London
  • Christian List, Professor of Political Science and Philosophy, London School of Economics
  • Magda Osman, Senior Lecturer in Experimental Cognitive Psychology, Queen Mary, University of London

Organised by Juliana Cardinale

Chaired by Katie Steele and followed by Q&A with the public.

Topic: Traditional philosophical accounts of decision making assume that conscious rational thinking leads to wise choices. But recent psychological evidence suggests that we should trust our intuitions instead and ‘go with the flow’. Do these views conflict? If so, which one is correct? Or are both rational thinking and intuition ways of choosing for a reason? This panel discussion will bring philosophers and psychologists together to discuss these and other questions raised by recent research on decision making.

The event was free and open to the general public. Podcast available.