“Philosophy in the Open” is a new archive of philosophy videos from Open University.

Dan Cavedon-Taylor, who with Derek Matravers created the exhibition, sent along the following information about it:

A new online exhibition is being launched today on the Open University Digital Archive. Philosophy in the Open: The OU Philosophy Media Archive, contains over 30 hours of footage of interviews and debates between some of the most celebrated mid-to-late 20th century British philosophers (readers may be familiar with the Evans and Strawson debate on truth). These videos, many of which were originally broadcast on the BBC, were made in the early days of the Open University to support its teaching in Philosophy. They are a snapshot of a golden age of philosophy in Great Britain, made public here for the first time.

Interviewees include: J. Ayer, Renford Bambrough, K. K. Baublys, R. B. Braithwaite, Gareth Evans, Allen Phillips Griffiths, Susan Haack, R. M. Hare, Rodney Hirst, A. J. P. Kenny, Martha Kneale, Stephan Körner, Anthony Quinton, Gilbert Ryle, Dennis Sciama, B. F. Skinner, Charles Taylor, Godfrey Vesey, G. J. Warnock, Alan White, Bernard Williams.

Anthony Kenny and R.M Hare in “What Use is Moral Philosophy” (1973)

The exhibit includes newly commissioned short essays and interviews accompany these videos by Anita Avramides (Oxford), Anna Alexandrova (Cambridge), Helen Beebee (Leeds), Craig Bourne (Hertfordshire), Emily Caddick Bourne (Manchester), Tim Crane (CEU), Daniel C. Dennett (Tufts), Suki Finn (Royal Holloway), Susan Haack (Miami), Christine M. Korsgaard (Harvard), Fraser Macbride (Manchester), Ian Phillips (Johns Hopkins), Huw Price (Bonn), Lord Martin Rees (Astronomer Royal), Mona Simion (Glasgow), Michael Smith (Princeton). 

The exhibition is split into four sections: 

• • Debates and discussions 
  • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Philosophy 
  • Legacy Teaching Videos 
  • The Sir Bernard Williams Collection 

The exhibition has been created by Dr Dan Cavedon-Taylor and Prof Derek Matravers. Out thanks to the journal Teaching Philosophy, for their permission to reuse Daniel C. Dennett’s essay.  

You can explore the collection of videos here.