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About Stephen Law

Overview

·   Public academic
·      Writer and speaker on a range of issues, academic and non-academic, for a wide variety of audiences - specialist and non-specialist
·      Authority on critical thinking and philosophy and their public application. Research interest in everyday irrationality and bullshit.

Public speaker and writer. Has appeared many times on TV and Radio (including episodes of Closer to Truth in the US). Has written or been interviewed for The Guardian, The Independent on Sunday, The Mail on Sunday. The Sydney Morning Herald, The Times (book extract), Newsweek, Aeon, and New Scientist magazine.

Author of ten critically received popular non-fiction books, including:

·      Many best-selling introductions to philosophy including The Philosophy Gym
·      A Very Short Introduction to Humanism for Oxford University Press
·      Believing Bullshit - a book on irrationality and bullshit,
·      The War For Children's Minds, a book on raising good citizens, about which Philip Pullman said 'Should be read by every parent, every teacher, and every politician'.

Author of three successful non-fiction children's books - and an invited contributor to BBC Children in Need Story Collection.

Designed an online course for Oxford University based on one of his books - an introduction to Philosophy.

Organiser of many educational public events and debates in London and Oxford on Science, Reason, Ethics, and Religion, including at the Oxford Literary Festival (with many high profile speakers and academics including e.g. Lord Layard, Giles Fraser, Claire Fox, Professors Richard Dawkins and Heather Widdows)

Founding editor of the magazine THINK: Philosophy for Everyone, published by the Royal Institute of Philosophy and Cambridge University Press.

Well-known advocate of the public importance of philosophy, and in particular its educational benefits for young people and to public life.

Producer of innovative educational materials, including a recent animation (with  265,000 views)

You can download my academic CV here.

Sample work

Some TV appearances (cut and paste address if link does not work): https://www.closertotruth.com/contributor/stephen-law/profile

The animation: https://vimeo.com/186237056

In conversation with Richard Dawkins https://www.closertotruth.com/contributor/stephen-law/profile

Debate on the existence of God with William Lane Craig at Westminster Central Hall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APfd7B3CEhI

New Scientist interview on bullshit https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21028160-200-a-field-guide-to-bullshit/

Aeon article on belief in the supernatural https://aeon.co/ideas/belief-in-supernatural-beings-is-totally-natural-and-false

Comments

Unknown said…
Dear Mr.Law,
I have read ur Humanism VSI book and wanted to leave a small comment based on my impression from the book. First of all, thank You for this readers experience. I read it during summer time in Greece, Rhodos, on the beach when not swimmimg...:)

In my opinion the efford made in the book (or by humanism itself , in your words) is trying so hard to distance from religion and all that is religious, that it somehow, beyond all reason, seems to become religion itself. I dont know why is that because logically it should just be now more precisely distinguished (and I know this is the reason why most of the book is dedicated to distancing itself from religious). It comes to my mind that it might be because it is only in contrast with religious and all values that religion established, that humanism arises. Why would there be so much effort put in distancing otherwise. As if the fenomenon that is the one most unvanted (religious life, rules, ethics) is given even more life and reality within humanist ideas itself. I know this was definately not the effect wanted and expected, but somehow there it is and it struck me most - even more, then the positive values that are also scatched in the book.

In conclusion all that arguments, all that efford against religious somehow fails to deliver the right positive attitude towards humanism, that I (having not read this book) considered something very near to me before. Despite this fact I am realy thankfull for an opportunity to read it. Thank you.


All the best
Sebastian Janota, Czech republic
August 2, 2020 at 2:35 PM
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