Royal Institute Philosophy- James Wilson, Who should we remember?

What we remember is a central expression of who we are. So what should we remember, and what is best forgotten? Talks will focus on various aspects of the question, such as trauma, conflict resolution, forgiving and forgetting, memorialization, and constructing identities on- and off-line. Explore these questions, among others, through the lens of philosophy at the 2024/5 London Lectures.

Who should we remember, and for how long? A theory of justice for public commemoration

Speaker - James Wilson: James Wilson is Professor of Philosophy in the Philosophy Department at University College London, and co-Director of UCL's Health Humanities Centre. He has published widely on bioethics, the philosophy of public policy, and governance of ideas and information. His research uses philosophy to help resolve practical problems, and uses practical problems to investigate gaps and weaknesses in existing philosophical theories. His book Philosophy for Public Health and Public Policy: Beyond the Neglectful State (Oxford University Press) was published in 2021.

The stories we tell ourselves about why it is important to remember events such as D-Day, and atrocities such as the transatlantic slave trade, weave together various reasons. Prominent among these are that remembrance is owed as a duty to those who suffered or gave their lives in the struggle towards progress; that remembering these historical episodes is useful for making better decisions now; and that historical truth matters in itself. These reasons pull in different directions: using remembrance to draw general truths, especially truths that can helpfully guide action in contemporary circumstances, often entails flattening or ignoring much of the historical detail. While the number of events that could be treated as worthy of remembrance is large, there are only so many events that can be memorialised through rituals, or incorporated into the school curriculum. Public remembrance is thus always a scarce commodity. This talk discusses how best to reconcile the different reasons for remembering, and in so doing sketches an account of justice in public remembrance.

Host or Publisher The Royal Institute of Philosophy