'Ethics, Society, and the Place of Faith' - John Haldane

The McDonald Centre was delighted to welcome John Haldane, Professor of Philosophy at the University of St Andrew's, and J. Newton Rayzor Sr Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Baylor University, Texas, to deliver the 2010-2011 McDonald Lectures, which were entitled 'Ethics, Society, and the Place of Faith.' 

Professor Haldane holds a Ph.D. from London University and has taught at the University of Notre Dame, Georgetown University, and elsewhere. He delivered the Gifford Lectures in 2003 at the University of Aberdeen and has also contributed to a number of television and radio programmes.

He has published nearly 200 articles on wide-ranging topics, from aethestics and art to ethics, religion, and philosophy of mind.  Atheism and Theism, now in its second edition, is a fascinating debate between Haldane and philosopher J.J.C. Smart on the existence of God. Following the 2008 U.S. presidential election, Haldane, who is British, wrote a now widely-read Letter to America about the promises and pitfalls of Obama's election.  He had previously visited Oxford for a much-publicized debate with the late Christopher Hitchens. 

23 February - 'Politics in an Age of Uncertainty' 
24 Februrary - 'Religion in an Age of Doubt'
2 March - 'Ethics in an Age of Scepticism'
3 March - 'Ethics and the Recovery of Nature'
9 March - 'Religion and the Recovery of the Supernatural'
10 March - 'Politics and the Recovery of the Common Good'