Behind the Headlines | The Age of Uncertainty

Recorded October 06, 2020. There is a growing sense that the one
certainty we can count on over the coming weeks, months, and years,
is uncertainty. From the ancient stoics and philosophers to
contemporary historians, writers and economists, thinkers have
grappled with this concept and its implications. What can they tell
us about our current predicament, and can we learn to tolerate
uncertainty in our daily lives? In our forthcoming Behind the
Headlines, we explore what uncertainty means today. In the midst of
a global pandemic, with looming lockdowns, an unsettled political
climate, economic volatility and the spectre of false news, we will
consider possible responses to life in the ‘age of uncertainty’ and
discuss the ways in which unpredictability shapes our feelings
about the future. Speakers: Professor Siobhán Garrigan, Loyola
Chair of Theology, Head of School of Religion, TCD, will look at
how Christianity offers a wealth of resources on how to cope with
uncertainty … as well as quite a few examples of how not to cope
with it. Professor Kenneth Pearce, Ussher Assistant Professor in
Berkeley Studies, Head of Department of Philosophy, TCD, will
explore early modern traditions of philosophy and their approach to
uncertainty, asking if making peace with uncertainty is essential
for life in the modern world. Professor Mani Ramaswami, Professor
of Neurogenetics, Director of Trinity Institute of Neurosciences
(TCIN), will examine uncertainty from the perspective of
Neuroscience, looking at our brain's ability to accurately predict
the future, and how we can use uncertainty to our advantage. Carmel
Crimmins, Financial Desk Deputy Editor, Reuters, will look at how
we produce the news during a global pandemic with societies under
lockdown, rumour and misinformation proliferating online and
stories breaking on multiple fronts. Learn more at:
https://www.tcd.ie/trinitylongroomhub/