The play follows Doctor Faustus, a German scholar who, dissatisfied with traditional forms of knowledge, turns to magic and makes a pact with the devil Mephastophilis. In exchange for his soul, Faustus gains 24 years of unlimited power and knowledge. The play explores themes of knowledge, power, and sacrifice, serving as a cautionary tale about the perilous nature of unchecked ambition and the pursuit of forbidden knowledge. Set in various European locations, it reflects the Renaissance spirit and the intellectual climate of Elizabethan England.
Why do we love evil?
We may condemn tyrants and abhor serial killers, but we are obsessed with evil and violence. Our news and our entertainment focus on such material. Are we fascinated by evil, violent characters because they make life more exciting? Or because they express our true nature? Should we look to end this morbid obsession, or accept it as a feature of humanity?
Join Terry Eagleton, Susan Neiman, and Stephen de Wijze for a debate about why evil is so seductive to modern society. Terry Eagleton is is a literary theorist, critic, and public intellectual. Susan Neiman is a moral philosopher and cultural commentator. Stephen de Wijze is senior lecturer in political theory at Manchester, whose work concerns the interface between ethical constraints and political action.
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Philosophy For Our Times 