Bas Haring
(1968, De Bilt) is a senior lecturer at the Leiden University and is also a writer. In 1997 he obtained his doctorate in Artificial Intelligence. His debut Kaas en de Evolutietheorie (Cheese and the theory of evolution) explains how Charles Darwin's theory of evolution throws light on important philosophical and everyday questions. With the use of explicit examples the true meaning of the theory of evolution becomes clear. In 2002 the book received the Gouden Uil prize for youth literature and the Eureka! prize for popular science literature. In October 2003 De IJzeren Wil (The Iron will) was published, about the brain, consciousness and machines that can think. Do human beings have something more than animals and machines: a soul, a consciousness or a will? At present he is working on a third book with the provisionary title Voor echt succesvol leven (For a real succesful life), about the hypothesis that our concepts - more often than we like - posess us, instead of the other way around. Bas Haring is the presenter of the popular philosophic television programme Stof (Matter) from the RVU.
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Archive available for: Bas Haring
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The world, the writer and the philosopher
Does it make any difference to the world what a writer does? Can he write autonomous and avoid the expectations of the outside world, or does he have to take a position concerning social reality? P.F. Thomese opens the debate with a plea for the independent mind, for the autonomous, introvert writer. His opponent is the young philosopher Bas Haring, who by actively adressing a wider audience tries to make philosophy part of daily life. Dutch spoken.
