Panel:

Professor Charles Godfray, Director, Oxford Martin Programme on the Future of Food and author of the chapter How can 9-10 Billion People be Fed Sustainably and Equitably by 2050?
Professor Ian Goldin, Director, Oxford Martin School, Editor of Is the Planet Full? and author of the chapter Governance Matters Most
Professor Sarah Harper, Director, Oxford Institute of Population Ageing, Oxford Martin School and author of the chapter Demographic and Environmental Transitions
Professor Yadvinder Malhi, Director, Oxford Centre for Tropical Forests, Oxford Martin School and author of the chapter The Metabolism of a Human-Dominated Planet
Dr Toby Ord, James Martin Fellow, Oxford Martin Programme on the Impacts of Future Technology and author of the chapter Overpopulation or Underpopulation?
The panel will discuss whether our planet can continue to support a growing population estimated to reach 10 billion people by the middle of the century.

The panel discussion will be followed by a book signing and drinks reception.

This panel discussion will be live webcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFIqDQP1Vjc

About the Book:
What are the impacts of population growth? Can our planet support the demands of the ten billion people anticipated to be the world’s population by the middle of this century?

While it is common to hear about the problems of overpopulation, might there be unexplored benefits of increasing numbers of people in the world? How can we both consider and harness the potential benefits brought by a healthier, wealthier and larger population? May more people mean more scientists to discover how our world works, more inventors and thinkers to help solve the world’s problems, more skilled people to put these ideas into practice?

In this book, leading academics with a wide range of expertise in demography, philosophy, biology, climate science, economics and environmental sustainability explore the contexts, costs and benefits of a burgeoning population on our economic, social and environmental systems.

Public Seminar: Thinking About the Brain

With speakers: Professor Chris Kennard; Professor Glyn Humphreys; Professor David Lomas; Dr Joshua Hordern; Dr Ayoush Lazikani; Dr Matthew Broome; Dr Chrystalina Antoniades

Thursday 20 November, 5.30-8.30pm
Ashmolean Education Centre

The evening will offer an opportunity to explore current research into the brain and the mind from a wide range of perspectives, from medieval literature to contemporary art and neuroscience.

Thinking About the Brain is a public seminar, forming part of the developing collaboration between the Ashmolean Museum’s University Engagement Programme and Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences. It is being co-organised by Dr Jim Harris, Andrew W Mellon Foundation Teaching Curator at the Ashmolean, and Dr Chrystalina Antoniades, Lecturer in Medicine at Brasenose College and Senior Research Fellow in the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences.

Open to all and free of charge. To ensure a place, please follow this link to e-mail Dr Jim Harris (at jim.harris @ ashmus.ox.ac.uk), or telephone 01865 288 287.

A public meeting with a short introductory talk followed by questions and discussion.

Animal rights: a human perspective

Thursday 20 November, 7:30pm to 9:00pm

The Mitre, corner of High St and Turl St (upstairs function room)

All welcome

Organised by Oxford Communist Corresponding Society.

The Oxford Climate Forum is the country’s largest student climate change conference, held right here in Oxford. This year, a fantastic line-up of leading academics, activists and environmentalists will discuss and debate topics ranging from putting a price on carbon through to how to communicate about climate change effectively, in what will be a diverse and inspiring multi-day event.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OxfordClimateForum?fref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/OxClimateForum

Join us for a critical review of the extent to which businesses promote HR in practice. Talk of corporate responsibility, pro-bono schemes and language of sustainability and accountability continues to increase but in reality are businesses doing enough to promote and protect Human Rights? There will be the chance to talk more informally with the speakers after the event over drinks and nibbles.

Panel Speakers: Rae Lindsay (Clifford Chance), Peter Frankental (Amnesty International)

Chair: Dr Lawrence Hill-Cawthorne, University of Reading

The Anglo-Scottish Border: a Photographic Tour
With Tim Porter, lecturer

Medieval Scotland Afternoon Tea Lecture Series

Tuesday 25 November, 2–4pm
At the Ashmolean Museum (Lecture Theatre)

With the 2014 referendum for Scottish independence, the historic relationship between Scotland and England has recently been a prevalent topic of political discussion. This year also marks the 700th anniversary of the battle of Bannockburn, a significant Scottish victory in the First War of Scottish Independence. These lectures explore three key aspects of the Anglo-Scottish relationship during the Middle Ages.

Tickets are £9/£8 concessions (includes tea & cake), and booking is recommended as places are limited.
Visit: http://www.ashmolean.org/events/Lectures/?id=132

Introduction to Anthropology. Sunday 30th November. 10 – 5pm

The Knowledge Project is exciting and innovative workshops this November. For one day, you will be introduced to a subject by an Oxford postgraduate with bags of specialist knowledge in that area. The courses are designed to be open to all, with plenty of opportunities to ask questions and push the subject matter to its limit. Classes are taught in small groups of a maximum of ten, and are based around lively and sociable discussion. Importantly, all our proceeds go to children’s charity Jacari – that means ALL of the money you pay goes directly to helping children struggling with English as a second language.

Daniel has spent over 2 years in Amazonia studying the Amerindian peoples who reside there. He specialises in traditional medicine, shamanism, violent assault sorcery and has plenty of stories to tell. This course focuses on the principles of anthropology, grounded in real cultural examples of religion, gender, literacy and more.

This course runs from 10am – 5pm on Sunday 16th November.

For more details, and to sign up go to knowledgeproject.co.uk, or email alison@knowledgeproject.co.uk

Why Poetry Matters
Part of the Why Philosophy Matters Series

With Professor Max de Gaynesford, University of Reading

Wednesday 3 December, 6‒7.30pm, Education Centre

Join esteemed scholars to talk about the hot topics in contemporary culture and philosophical thought. In partnership with Oxford Brookes University and sponsored by the Royal Institute of Philosophy.

Free, no booking required, seats allocated on a first-come first-served basis. Entry via St Giles’ Street, drinks from 5.45pm.

Come listen to the MSc in Global Health Science students debate two controversial motions relating to ‘Priorities in Healthcare’: ‘This house believes that communicable diseases require more funding than non-communicable diseases’ and ‘This house would tax sugar-sweetened beverages’. Audience participation is encouraged; you will be invited to share your thoughts on the speakers’ arguments and asked to vote for the winning benches. The evening will conclude with a drinks and canapés reception.

Oxford C.C.S. talk and discussion

All welcome.

For more information about the C.C.S. you can visit our website,www.communistcorrespondingsociety.org or follow us on Twitter, http://twitter.com/CCSoc.

This is a monthly free meeting. This week we have two main talks, one on creating 360degree tours of buildings using Google business, (basically using street view you can walk in and tour round certain buildings) and another creating a title sequence with After Effects & Photoshop. Guest speakers: Guy Henstock and Sathya Vijayendran

Public meeting. Twenty minute talk, one hour discussion. You’re welcome to come along just to listen, or participate actively in the discussion. Free entry, no need to book.

Brought to you by Blackwell’s Bookshop and the Ashmolean Museum, ‘Inspired by Blake’ is a two-week William Blake Festival celebrating the magnificent and visionary painter, poet, thinker and icon.

Blake’s visions have long been a topic of debate by scholars, artists and poets; and now, in this age of neuroscientific advancement, they are being considered by psychologists too. AXNS invites four panelists, including Buddhist poet Maitreyabandhu, Professor Christopher Rowland, and Professor Glyn Humphreys, Head of Department for Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford to consider the questions: How useful is it to look at Blake’s visions through Psychology? Does it detract from his artistic intent? And were Blake’s visions purely visual?

For information about the festival, including a full events listing, please visit the Inspired by Blake website. #inspiredbyblake

Ever more people are interested in the social impact that organisations are creating beyond their contributions to the economy (gross value added, employment, etc.). Despite an existent tradition of cost-benefit analyses and other types of evaluations, a genuine interest in assessing ‘social effects’ rigorously is only about to manifest itself. Yet, available methods for assessing social impact often leave social aspects like the strengthening of social cohesion, the enhancement of participation or the reduction of conflict relatively unaddressed.

The talk will outline how we can grasp such perceptibly unfathomable social effects, both conceptually and empirically.

Gorgi Krlev is a DPhil student at Kellogg College and a research associate at the Centre for Social Investment (CSI) at the University of Heidelberg.

21CC is a multidisciplinary conference, which unites leading minds to explore the opportunities and challenges of the 21st century. Led by Oxford students it is partnered with the Oxford Martin School, which pioneers research, policy and debate on global issues.

What: Our 2015 conference will cover some of the most pressing global challenges and opportunities of the 21st century including cybersecurity, geoengineering, inequality and arms trafficking.

Who: Speakers include the Director of Privacy International, the UK Parliamentary Cyber Adviser, previous Director of the Special Forces, the ex-VP of the World Bank, Head of Arms Control at Amnesty International, Directors from the Institute for New Economic Thinking, leading climate change scientists, UN and NATO experts and many more!

When: 7th Feb, Saturday of 3rd Week, at the Mathematics Institute.

Visit: www.21cc-oxford.com for tickets and more info!

Twenty minute introductory talk, one hour discussion. All welcome.

s Islam a religion of peace?
Does Islam have a place in the West?
Is Islam at odds with Liberalism?
Has Muslim integration failed?
Is Islam really the biggest threat we face today?

In the wake of Charlie Hebdo, and in the wider context of the sprawling War on Terror, is it the West, or Islam, that is under attack?

Somerville-Oriel EqualiWeek is honoured to host the distinguished Shaykh Fuad Nahdi. Shaykh Nahdi has been named as one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world for his pioneering journalism and lifelong commitment to inter-faith campiagning. Recently, he was the first non-Christian to address the General Synod and serves as the Executive Director of Radical Middle Way. It is with no doubt that Shaykh Nahdi will bring his renowned humour and quick wit to this highly sensitive and important debate.

Confirmed Guest Speakers:

Dr Othon Anastasakis (Director of the European Studies Centre, Oxford)

Professor Dr. Friedbert Pflüger (King’s College London, former mayoral candidate for the CDU in Berlin)

For its first Oxford Panel, the YouthEPP London Group will, in the light of the recent developments in Ukraine, Russia, the Middle-East and Nigeria, as well as the ongoing controversy surrounding the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the USA discuss the feasibility of a united European foreign policy and the concrete work of the Juncker Commission and High Representative Federica Mogherini.

Prof Wielenberg will make the case for a character trait that (i) is a virtue and (ii) is appropriately characterized as a secular version of humility. The connection with Lewis would be that the account draws on some of Lewis’s ideas about the nature of Christian humility.

by Oxford C. S. Lewis Society

Professor Traute Meyer, Southampton

Twenty minute talk, one hour discussion. Free entry, no need to book, all welcome.

In this lecture I argue that self-control problems typical arise from conflicts between smaller sooner and larger later rewards. I suggest that we often fail successfully to navigate these problems because of our commitment to a conception of ourselves as rational agents who answer questions about ourselves by looking to the world. Despite the attractions of this conception, I argue that it undermines efforts at self-control and thereby our capacity to pursue the ends we value. I suggest we think of self-control as a problem of self-management, whereby we manipulate ourselves.

Global Politics, Economy and Society Seminar with

Dr Seán Molloy (University of Kent) on

“Kant and the Political Theology of Perpetual Peace”

Venue: John Henry Brookes Building, room JHB206
Date: Monday 2 March 2015
Time: 4.15pm

All welcome!

‘The World(s) According to Quantum Mechanics by Professor David Wallace, Professor of Philosophy of Physics, University of Oxford

In this lecture I outline some of the main perspectives on self-control and its loss stemming from recent work in psychology. I focus in particular on the puzzle arising from the role of glucose in successful self-control. Glucose ingestion seems to boost self-control but there is good evidence that it doesn’t do this by providing fuel for the relevant mechanisms. I suggest that glucose functions as a cue of resource availability rather than fuel.

In the wake of the Charlie Hebdo murders and the ensuing debate on freedom of religion vs freedom of expression, Honorary Fellow of Wolfson College Professor Sir Richard Sorabji CBE will deliver this timely lecture on the history and philosophical principles underlying the concept of free speech.

Twenty minute introductory talk, one hour discussion. Free entry, no need to book, all welcome.

There is evidence that self-control is a character trait. This evidence seems inconsistent with the management approach I advocate, since that approach urges that we look to external props for self-control, not to states of the agent. In this lecture I argue, that contrary to appearances, we should hesitate to think that people high in what is known as trait self-control have any such character trait. In fact, properly understood the evidence concerning trait self-control supports the management.

Global Politics, Economy and Society Seminar with

Dr Cristina Masters (University of Manchester) on

“Resisting Biopolitics: Writing, Emotions & Bodies”

Venue: John Henry Brookes Building, room JHB206
Date: 16 March 2015
Time: 4.15pm

All welcome!

In this talk I explain the nature of national security interest in the burgeoning field of neuroscience and its implications for military and counter-intelligence operations. All welcome but booking is required.