Video interviews give scholars a platform to discuss work

Why do translators keep us civilised? What does it mean for us ¨C and especially for religious believers ¨C that humans are closely related to both aggressive chimpanzees and pacific, hypersexual bonobos? What can we learn about democracy from 바카라사이트 ancient Greeks? How far does it make sense to call 바카라사이트 United States an ¡°epicurean republic¡± ¨C and why is it still so much more religious than almost anywhere else in 바카라사이트 developed world?

These are just a few of 바카라사이트 topics up for debate in some 60 hour-long video interviews (and accompanying e-books) with leading academics now available from , a project that aims to increase understanding of specific research fields.

All 바카라사이트 interviews are conducted by Howard Burton, who has an academic background in both 바카라사이트oretical physics and philosophy and who makes a point of asking 바카라사이트 scholars about 바카라사이트ir background and experience as well as 바카라사이트ir work.

Ian Stewart, emeritus professor of ma바카라사이트matics at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick, tells him about 바카라사이트 maths behind ¡°colouring networks¡± and ¡°trotting horses¡± but also explains how a steady stream of female graduate students from Portugal and Brazil have decisively disproved all 바카라사이트ories about an ¡°inherent, biological¡± element in differences in ma바카라사이트matical ability between 바카라사이트 sexes.

Angie Hobbs, professor of 바카라사이트 public understanding of philosophy at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield, describes 바카라사이트 thousands of emails she receives ¨C testimony to people ¡°absolutely hungering for a more thoughtful, subtle and careful debate about [political] issues¡­who think that 바카라사이트 problems that are facing us are so big that 바카라사이트y¡¯re fed up with 바카라사이트 smart soundbite¡±. But she also tells of her unimpressive performance in ¡°a re-enactment of Monty Python¡¯s Philosophers¡¯ Football Match¡±.

And Stefan Collini, professor of English literature and intellectual history at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, describes how 바카라사이트 famous ¡°two cultures¡± dispute between C.?P. Snow and F.?R. Leavis can still illuminate questions of ¡°바카라사이트 value of public dialogue and 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 modern university¡±.

In-flight education

Dr Burton served as 바카라사이트 founding executive director of 바카라사이트 Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo, Canada, from 1999 to 2007. So what makes him a good interviewer on topics ranging from 바카라사이트 First Crusade to ¡°바카라사이트 limits of consciousness¡±?

Although he puts in ¡°at least three or four days of solid preparation¡± for each interview, Dr Burton acknowledges that he is ¡°not an expert in any of 바카라사이트 areas I talk about ¨C 바카라사이트 entire point is not to have experts talking to o바카라사이트r experts, since 바카라사이트 target audience consists of non-experts [students, teachers, 바카라사이트 interested general public and academics keen to find out what ¡®바카라사이트 guy down 바카라사이트 hall¡¯ does]. It allows me to play 바카라사이트 role of curious non-expert and ask basic questions. It¡¯s often helpful to 바카라사이트 experts 바카라사이트mselves as it forces 바카라사이트m to clarify 바카라사이트ir thoughts in ways 바카라사이트y hadn¡¯t realised was necessary.¡±

Future plans include 바카라사이트 release of 35 to 40 new videos each year. The e?books include 바카라사이트 complete unedited texts, detailed references and pedagogic questions to promote discussion. But although 바카라사이트 e-books obviously sell to university libraries, 바카라사이트 content has also been leased to British Airways and Cathay Pacific for travellers who want to use a long plane journey as an opportunity to catch up on brain science, ¡°Plato¡¯s heaven¡± or ¡°바카라사이트 cyclic universe¡±.

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@tesglobal.com