Inaugural Lecture: Professor Jeremy Carrette

Professor Jeremy Carrette (Head of the School of Divinity & Professor of Philosophy, Religion & Culture) delivers his Inaugural Lecture 'A Philosophy of Love: Nietzsche, Lou Salomé and William James' on 11 September, 2pm, Assembly Hall.

'A Philosophy of Love: Nietzsche, Lou Salomé and William James'

Reflecting on the power of the words ‘I love you’ in everyday discourse, this inaugural lecture will examine the philosophy of love in the post-Darwinian world of late nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century philosophy. It will explore the boundary between a Darwinian embodied emotion and the long tradition of idealistic forms of love in Plato to find a new third position. In examining the value of Western philosophical accounts of love, it will map this position through the philosopher Nietzsche and one of the first female psychoanalytic thinkers Lou Salomé. This exploration will provide a way to introduce the thinking of the American psychologist-philosopher William James and his relational philosophy of love. The lecture will argue that the idea of love requires a pragmatic interrogation, a recognition of embodied consciousness and a stronger link to the life force that connects human beings to that which is within and beyond themselves.

This venue is fully accessible however, if you require disabled access, please email divinity.news@ed.ac.uk so that we can ensure we accommodate this.