Universities, managers and the transformative power of philosophy.

Are modern universities opposed to philosophical practice? George Pattison, Professor of Divinity at the University of Glasgow, suggests that they might be. “Universities today are increasingly subject to managerial systems that favour quantifiable outcomes and that demand practical applications. These are also systems that, like so many businesses, want short term results. Philosophy goes against this tendency, since philosophy won’t get anywhere unless it’s prepared for a long, slow haul. It’s a lifelong process and one whose ‘outcome’ is, in the first instance, the transformation of the philosopher’s own life”. George Pattison. See The Interview Pages on philiptonner.com for the full interview.