Event overview
Philosopher, poet, and novelist Raymond Tallis describes how time travel is metaphysically impossible.
4pm Wednesday 17 January 2018
Lecture Theatre, Ben Pimlott Building, Goldsmiths University of London
The myth of time travel seemed to acquire scientific respectability from relativity theory which made time a space-like fourth dimension. This is an illusion and the speaker will examine why this is the case, noting that the time traveller’s journey, her ability to arrive at a chosen destination, and anything she might hope to achieve at her destination are metaphysically impossible.
Professor Raymond Tallis is a philosopher, poet, novelist and cultural critic, and a retired physician and clinical neuroscientist. He ran a large clinical service in Hope Hospital Salford and an academic department in the University of Manchester. His research focussed on epilepsy, stroke, and neurological rehabilitation.
Professor Tallis has published fiction, poetry, and 25 books on the philosophy of mind, philosophical anthropology, literary and cultural criticism. 'Aping Mankind' (2010) was reissued in 2016 as a Routledge Classic. His latest book - 'Of Time and Lamentation: Reflections on Transience' (2017) - is an inquiry into the nature of time. In 2013, he published a volume co-edited with Jacky Davis 'NHS SOS' which examined the damaging impact of Tory policies on the NHS.
About the Whitehead Lecture Series
Dates & times
Date | Time | Add to calendar |
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17 Jan 2018 | 4:00pm - 5:30pm |
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