Richard Dawkins (who I’m presuming needs no introduction here) will be appearing at the Edinburgh International Book Festival on Sunday 19th August 2007.

Matters of the Mind series, RBS Main Theatre, Sunday 19th August 2007, 4.30pm, £7 (£5 conc.)

The most eminent scientist of our age, Richard Dawkins is an outspoken critic of religion in all its manifestations. His dazzling and passionate polemic The God Delusion has become a worldwide bestseller in the past year for its fierce and brilliant arguments against what he sees as the damaging rise of dogma. Chaired by Ruth Wishart.

At the time of writing, the booking system (which also happens to be the event listing system) is “too busy”. Surely a case of unintelligent design. ;-)

Instead, you can download the PDF of the programme for 2007, the cover for which, I’m sure, will have the local creationist/ID movement up in arms:

There are also three events featuring British atheist philosopher Julian Baggini (Lucy Eyre with Julian Baggini, 19th August, Who am I? Human Identity, 19th August and Julian Baggini & Robin McKie, 20th August - a busy man!).

There are other events that might have appeal to those with an atheistic, humanist or scientific bent, and these are usually in the The Open University Environment Series, East and West, Genes and Society, and Matters of the Mind series.

Terry Eagleton (infamous “critic” of the strawman he created on top of The God Delusion) also makes an appearance, to talk about what is the meaning of life? – and searches philosophy and literature for the solutions. Witty, stimulating, erudite, accessible – and he even provides his own surprising answer. I think I already know what his answer to this is going to be, and it’s a small, three letter word that has been, and still is, the cause of so much suffering in the world. I’d only be surprised if it’s not.

Incidentally, two of my previous employers, my current employer and two organisations that I have undertaken education with, are all sponsors of this event. I’m sure that this says something about the kind of person I am. There are also a few clients in the list, but I don’t usually get to choose those.

Also, it occurs to me that this summer, Edinburgh’s getting more than it’s fair share of atheistic and humanistic attention. Smashing! :-)

This entry was posted Tuesday, June 19th, 2007 at 10:47 am and is filed under . You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.