The Inaugural Lecture of Professor Aidan Hehir
The end of the Cold War led to effusive claims that a new era of global peace and prosperity had dawned. Today, it is obvious that this vision was an illusion built on hubris. As wars, mass atrocities, divisive populism, and environmental catastrophes dominate the headlines, it is easy to be persuaded by proclamations that we are now doomed to endure a prolonged “age of chaos.”
Those determined to resist such fatalism must strive to identify, foster, and promote “good hope” and advance solutions that are idealistic but not utopian. Counterintuitively, this can be achieved by embracing scepticism. The ideas advanced by those branded “sceptics” were drowned out by the celebratory chorus that once promised never-ending progress. However, the critiques and prescriptions they advanced and the underlying view of human nature upon which they were developed now hold the key to catalysing authentic and effective hope. Constructive scepticism can therefore navigate between hubris and fatalism and ultimately inspire genuine, progressive global change.
Location
Fyvie Hall, 309 Regent Street, London W1B 2HW
How to register
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