‘Reason wonder may diminish’: Shakespeare and Aesthetic Freedom
Thursday, 27 November 2025, 16:30-18:30
Senate House, Room 246
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If beauty is at the heart of aesthetics, then the beauty of Shakespeare’s writing, which has moved so many people across the ages and around the globe, is certainly worthy of contemplation. Indeed, Shakespeare’s work is not only beautiful in itself, but is also thematically concerned with beauty and aesthetic questions. Through Shakespeare, and particularly through a consideration of The Winter’s Tale, this talk will explore the role that the infinite interpretability of art can play in human self-understanding and communication insofar as it presents an alternative to a normative, scientifically rationalizable view of the world. I propose that art and aesthetics, especially artworks that are cherished by so many, may form an alternative arena for communication and ethical relations between humans.
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Following NHS guidance, all attendees are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated (including boosters) against Covid-19, unless medically exempt. Our group is diverse; please continue to be considerate of those who wear face coverings and those who don’t. Thank you.