Philosophy | Oxford Literary Festival

Roger Scruton

Pasture to Plate®: How to Think Seriously about the Planet SOLD OUT
Oxford Martin School: Seminar Room 5:00pm Sat 30 Saturday, 30 March 2019 See this event
Michael Nylan

The Chinese Pleasure Book
Oxford Martin School: Lecture Theatre 2:00pm Sun 31 Sunday, 31 March 2019 See this event
Philip Goff and David Papineau Chaired by Stephen Law

The Oxford Debates: Is Consciousness Everywhere?
Oxford Martin School: Lecture Theatre 12:00pm Mon 1 Monday, 1 April 2019 See this event
Julian Baggini

How the World Thinks
Oxford Martin School: Lecture Theatre 2:00pm Wed 3 Wednesday, 3 April 2019 See this event
Heather Widdows

Perfect Me: Beauty as an Ethical Ideal
Weston Lecture Theatre 6:00pm Wed 3 Wednesday, 3 April 2019 See this event
Andrew Copson and Andrew Grey Chaired by Stephen Law

The Oxford Debates. Assisted Dying and Euthanasia: Is it Morally acceptable?
Bodleian: Divinity School 2:00pm Thu 4 Thursday, 4 April 2019 See this event
Onora O’Neill Interviewed by Jonathan Derbyshire

Judgement in Ethics and Politics CANCELLED
St Cross College 4:00pm Thu 4 Thursday, 4 April 2019 See this event
Andrew Briggs

It Keeps Me Seeking: The Invitation from Science, Philosophy and Religion
Oxford Martin School: Seminar Room 4:00pm Thu 4 Thursday, 4 April 2019 See this event
John Gray

Seven Types of Atheism SOLD OUT
Bodleian: Divinity School 2:00pm Fri 5 Friday, 5 April 2019 See this event

Festival information:

The Oxford Literary Festival has in my mind become the leading literary festival of the year. The organisation, the roster of speakers, the ambience and the sheer quality of it all is superb. May it now go from strength to strength each year stretching its ambition more and more. I believe it will.

A stimulating and rewarding on-stage conversation; a lively informed and tolerant audience; privileged access to the great treasures of the Bodleian, and finally, wonderfully interesting dinner companions to help me conclude the best day I have enjoyed at any festival – anywhere.

The night in Oxford was the most beautiful event I have ever done. Not just the spectacular setting (of the Sheldonian), but an unforgettable evening.

I came away buzzing and reassured that we still have in this century a wide ranging community fascinated not just by famous authors (I’ve rarely seen so many concentrated in one place) but by challenging ideas and questions.

The Oxford Literary Festival is intellectual Viagra.

I loved the whole atmosphere of the Oxford Literary Festival. From breakfast, alongside some of the attendees, who were talking books with each other a mile a minute, to the public event at The Sheldonian where everyone was lively and engaged – I felt I had arrived in a kind of literary heaven.

It was a privilege for me to visit the festival to receive the Bodley Medal. As an incidental blessing I saw Oxford at its most mysterious and atmospheric. It was a day of piercing cold and as I walked through the twilight from the Sheldonian to Christ Church, the streets were empty and the whole city was shutting itself away. Christ Church was silent except for the footfall of unseen persons around corners and the sounds of evensong creeping from behind closed doors. For the first time I understood thoroughly the power of college ghost stories.

The Oxford festival is the most elegant and atmospheric of literary festivals. It’s a pleasure to both attend and perform there.

The Oxford Literary Festival sponsors, donors & partners

Partner of Oxford Literary Festival

Prestige publishing partner. Celebrating 25 years in Europe in 2024

Accountants to the festival

Oxford International Centre for Publishing

Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection

Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection

Where learning meets opportunity: education partners of the festival

Wines of the Douro Valley

Festival on-site and online bookseller

The Cervantes Institute, London

The Spanish Embassy: supporters of the programme of Spanish literature and culture

Festival ideas partner

Festival cultural partner

Supporter of the festival's Voices of Europe programme

Supported by the Delegation of the European Union to the UK

Festival media partner

Supporters of the programme of American literature and culture

Brasenose College founded in 1512

Founded 1884

Reuben College founded in 2019

Magdalen College founded 1458

Trinity College founded 1555

Lincoln College founded 1427

Worcester College founded 1714

Exeter College: college home of the festival. Founded 1314

New College founded 1379

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