Rational Animals?

“Man is a rational animal who always loses his temper when called upon to act in accordance with the dictates of reason”  [Oscar Wilde, 1854-1900 ]

Although we pride ourselves on being rational animals, we are also aware that our emotions can have a profound influence of our beliefs and decisions. The aim of this workshop is to explore the influence of reason and emotion on our behaviour and to assess their relative strengths and weaknesses as ways of knowing. We will also consider the relevance of our discussion to real world issues - in particular, the current financial crisis.

The workshop will consist of four 75 minute sessions:

1. The Dreams & Delusions of Reason

2. Powerful Emotions

3. Who’s in Control?

4. Politics, Economics & Human Nature