Philosophy Salon: The Power of Questions

Our lives are shaped by questions and how they help us to connect, persuade and flourish. But we live in a world that wants answers. In this salon, host Julian Baggini will be joined by philosopher Lani Watson and CEO and author Margaret Hefferman to discuss why questions matter and the science, psychology and philosophy of asking better ones.

Julian Baggini is St George’s Philosopher-in-Residence. Lani Watson is the author of Q: The Hidden Power of Questions in a World That Wants Answers. She is a philosopher at the University of Edinburgh, and has worked in schools and courtrooms, hospitals and press rooms, and in the heart of Silicon Valley studying the art and science of questioning. Margaret Hefferman is a Professor of Practice at the University of Bath and mentors CEOs and senior executives of major global organisations. She is the author of seven books, including Willful Blindness which was named one of the most important business books of the decade by the Financial Times. Following a shirt break, the second half of this discussion will, fittingly, be led by audience questions