The Philosophy Department at the University of Hertfordshire is delighted to invite you to the annual Francis Bacon lecture delivered this year by Professor Raimond Gaita on Thursday 19 May at 19:00. Professor Gaita will speak on 'The Fragility of the Idea of a Common Humanity'. See below for further details, and to register your attendance to the lecture.
Please also note that the lecture will be preceded by a philosophy workshop on some themes in Professor Gaita's work, in his presence. If you would like to attend the workshop, kindly send a separate email to Daniele Moyal-Sharrock: .
We are delighted to invite you to the Francis Bacon annual lecture 2016 which is part of the philosophy public lecture series
The Fragility of the Idea of a Common Humanity
with guest speaker eminent philosopher Professor Raimond Gaita
Thursday 19 May, 18:30 - 20:00
N001, de Havilland Campus
This lecture is free of charge and open to all.
Pre-registration is required.
Book online or contact the Events Team by email or call 01707 284121
Speaker’s Abstract:
Ethically-inflected ways of speaking of humanity – as when we speak of seeing or failing to see the full humanity of others, of dehumanisation and of the common humanity of all the peoples of the earth – often go together with talk of universal human rights and sometimes with talk of the Dignity of persons or humanity. This is apparent in some of the preambles to important instruments of international law. Many philosophers believe that the concept of human rights contributes to the acknowledgement, by all peoples of the earth, of a common humanity. Some philosophers believe that the idea of the Dignity of persons (some speak of the ‘inalienable dignity’ of persons to which an unconditional respect is owed) rationally underpins the concept of universal human rights. In this lecture I shall argue that when our ways of speaking of human rights and the Dignity of persons cease to be ethically-inflected ways of speaking of humanity, they lose contact with the only vocabulary in which their importance can be made manifest.
About the speaker:
Over the past thirty years Raimond Gaita has developed an original, powerful and sometimes controversial conception of the nature of morality and ethical thought. He has made an outstanding contribution to contemporary analytic moral philosophy, not least for his distinctive vision of the nature of moral philosophy as an academic discipline.
Professor Gaita believes that it is generally a good thing for philosophers to address an educated and hard-thinking lay audience as well as their colleagues and thus he has contributed extensively to public discussion about reconciliation, collective responsibility, the role of moral considerations in politics, the Holocaust, genocide, crimes against humanity, education.
The University is proud to host the Francis Bacon lecture series alongside the Royal Institute of Philosophy.
These free public lectures aim to spotlight the valuable contribution and impact that philosophy makes to society. More information about the Francis Bacon Lecture series
Further information:
Light refreshments will be served from 18:30, lecture starts at 19:00
Confirmation of your booking and a parking permit will be sent electronically shortly before the event
University of Hertfordshire, College Lane, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL10 9AB
