Lancing College was delighted to welcome the renowned philosopher Professor A C Grayling to deliver the Head Master’s Lecture entitled ‘Why Study the Humanities?’. With great erudition and wit, he addressed a packed audience of enthusiastic students, staff and parents, and followed this with a stimulating and thought-provoking debate. Professor Grayling challenged those gathered to imagine a society without literature, philosophy or history, insisting that one’s life is enriched by a breadth of knowledge.
The question and answer session was so lively that Professor Grayling even continued the debate with Fifth and Sixth Form academic scholars over supper. It was clear from the number of pupils who rushed over to speak to him that he had sparked their curiosity. His accessibility and readiness to engage in conversation made the evening an unmitigated success, and pupils were intellectually invigorated:
“It was a pleasure to speak with Professor Grayling and to have the opportunity to discuss some of the finer points about the philosophy which I’ve been reading.”
“I felt inspired. Professor Grayling spoke of the humanities with such passion and I feel motivated to work even harder to increase my own knowledge.”
Dominic Oliver, Lancing College’s Head Master, who invited Professor Grayling to speak, said:
“It was a great pleasure to welcome Professor Grayling to Lancing. A central part of our mission is to cultivate and encourage rigorous and stimulating thought and we give our pupils time to think and to reflect in all sorts of forums from the classroom to the lecture hall. His visit was an important underscoring of our commitment to that mission. In a recent edition of the TES he talked of a ‘screaming silence’ when it comes to philosophy in schools. I am delighted to report that here at Lancing we’re shouting its virtues from the rooftops.”