Clare Mac Cumhaill & Kayo Chingonyi

Join poet Kayo Chingonyi and philosopher Clare Mac Cumhail for an exploration of Chingonyi’s new highly acclaimed collection A Blood Condition and of the philosophy of the late and brilliant Newcastle philosopher and environmentalist Mary Midgley as part of Notes from a Biscuit Tin. The discussion will begin with him presenting a newly commissioned poem inspired by themes in Midgley’s work.

Midgely argued that philosophy is most necessary when badly functioning concepts cluster together to form a myth or image that dominates our thinking, obscures our vision, and gets in the way of our living together well. When this happens – and it is surely happening now – philosophers need the assistance of poets to develop new metaphors that help us see more clearly and reimagine things better.

Notes from a Biscuit Tin is a year-long voyage connecting philosophers and poets in celebration of the vision of Midgley. Waylaid by the events of the past year, and having seen out the lockdown in Tokyo, Midgley’s biscuit tin returns home to Durham packed with the poems it has collected throughout its journey around the globe.

Rachael Wiseman & Clare Mac Cumhaill, In Parenthesis

Rachael and Clare are co-directors of In Parenthesis, a research collaboration that looks at the lives and philosophy of Mary Midgley, Iris Murdoch, G.E.M Anscombe and Philippa Foot - a.k.a. The Quartet. To grips with the staggering complexity, depth and volume of the Quartet's work they rely on the expertise, generosity, and time of numerous friends, researchers, students, archivists and other sorts of experts and enthusiasts. Join them and friends of In Parenthesis to celebrate the biscuit tin's homecoming.