What is the meaning of your life? How can you resolve personal issues and deal with challenges more effectively? What is blocking your path to greatness? What is your ultimate potential?
These are life-changing questions. Our job is to help you answer to them. You have everything that you need right now in order to change how you think, feel, act, and live for the better.
Who is philosophy for change?
Tim Rayner teaches Philosophy for Change in Sydney, Australia. He has taught at the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales. He co-wrote the short film ‘Coalition of the Willing’ in 2008 based on academic research into web-enabled social movements.
Tim’s latest book, Life Changing: A Philosophical Guide, is available on Amazon and iTunes. Tim is looking for a publisher who believes in ideas and people he can work with to change the world.
Tim tweets as @timrayner01. See his website: http://timrayner.net.
Tim
I share your interest in climate change and philosophy. Also a zen practitioner.
I am writing about Foucault’s notion of askesis and interested in describing zen as a contemporary practice of askesis, of a kind that might have a contribution to make to lifestyle change in the direction of sustainability.
I wondered if there’s any work going on (or media, films, writers, academics) who might be working in this direction.
Peter p.f.doran@qub.ac.uk
ps I’d be keen to get hold of your film when it is available
Hi Peter,
It seems that we’re thinking along similar lines. I too am interested in Foucault and askesis – particularly the idea of philosophy as a practice of the self. Philosophy for Change is an attempt to apply this idea broadly (you’ll find details on the course at http://www.timrayner.net/?page_id=5).
Unfortunately, I can’t call to mind any other people working in this direction – though I’m sure there are. I gave up academic work a couple of years ago to focus on developing Philosophy for Change, and consequently I am a little out of the loop. I recall Ladelle McWhorter and Edith Wyschogrod contributed excellent papers on Foucault and askesis in the collection ‘Foucault and Heidegger: Critical Encounters’ – perhaps you could try contacting them? McWhorter, in particular, has an interest in environmental philosophy, so she should be receptive to what you are doing.
We have a staggered website release planned for ‘Coalition of the Willing’, after which we’ll (hopefully) set it loose on the film festival circuit. If you keep an eye on this address: http://www.coalitionofthewilling.org.uk you should see something happening by the end of Jan 2010.
All the best,
Tim
From June 4th – June 22nd 2013 there will be performances of the “serious comedy”, a “theatre of thought” drama, entitled “Socrates and his Clouds” (see website: http://www.socratesandhisclouds.com/) in London at the Jermyn Street Theatre (near Piccadilly Circus). The play’s author, William Lyons, is an Australian now living in Dublin. The theatre company is Greek. All most welcome.
It is refreshing to find people who put their vision into action, not only “being” the change they wish to see in the world, but helping others experience it alongside them. Looking forward to learning alongside you, Tim.
And I you! Thanks for the kind comments.