[43] Julian Baggini — What happened to the Enlightenment?

Julian Baggini is one of the most insightful writers on philosophy in general and the Enlightenment in particular I know. We talk about the Enlightenment, and in how far it was the radical turning point as which it is often seen, or whether it does not mask great continuities under the guise of dramatic change. Has the Enlightenment released a vast liberating energy or was it just another mask of power? And does Western culture have a god-shaped hole at its heart. And how does one talk about the problems of the time if our shared use of language has been ring-fenced so rigidly that it is almost impossible to have a conversation about it? Is there a connection between Enlightenment traditions, liberal values and plain old hypocrisy? And is it possible to rescue these ideals from the hypocrisy that cloaks them? I had immense fun encountering Julian’s sharp thinking, his historical and political points?

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