Hilary Lawson Explained

Region:Western philosophy
Era:21st-century philosophy
Hilary Lawson
School Tradition:Continental philosophy
Main Interests:
Notable Ideas:
  • Theory of closure
  • Reflexivity

Hilary Lawson is an English philosopher and founder of the Institute of Art and Ideas.[1] [2] His theory of "closure"[3] puts forward a non-realist metaphysics arguing that people close the openness of the world with thought and language.[4] Lawson has also had a broadcasting and documentary film-making career[5] and founded Television and Film Productions, now known as TVF Media.[6]

Biography

Lawson graduated from Balliol College, Oxford with a first in PPE, and as a post-graduate began a DPhil on the problems of self-reference.[7] This later became his book Reflexivity: The Post-Modern Predicament (1985)[8] as part of the series Problems of Modern European Thought in which he argued that self-referential paradoxes are central to twentieth century philosophy, and specifically post-modernism.[9] [10]

Later, Lawson pursued a broadcasting career. As a writer and director he made documentaries, created the series Where There's Life[11] and co-authored a book based on the series.[12] At 28, he was appointed editor of programmes at TV-am.[13] [14] In the late 1980s he founded the production company TVF Media[15] which made documentary and current affairs programming, including Channel 4's international current affairs programme, The World This Week.[16] Lawson was editor of the programme which ran weekly between 1987 and 1991.[17]

His book Closure was published in 2001.[18] The book has been described by Don Cupitt as "perhaps the first largescale Anglo-Saxon non-realist 'metaphysics.[19]

Lawson founded the Institute of Art and Ideas in 2008 with the aim of making ideas and philosophy a central part of cultural life.[20] [21]

Philosophical work

Initially influenced by postmodernism at the outset of his career, Lawson contributed to and co-edited the collection of essays Dismantling Truth: Reality in the Post-Modern World, which explored the philosophical core of the theory.[22] [23] He also published the pamphlet After Truth - A Post Modern Manifesto, written in collaboration with Hugh Tomlinson, a translator of Deleuze.[24] The influence of a postmodern approach continued in his collaborations with the American philosopher Richard Rorty, who contributed to Lawson's BBC film Science...Fiction?[25] in which Lawson argued that "science is not powerful because it is true, but true because it is powerful"[26] and in Lawson's subsequent film on Plato entitled The First World. Rorty also contributed to Lawson's collection Dismantling Truth.[27]

These works demonstrate Lawson’s long-standing scepticism of realism, apparent in the last decade from his exchange of articles with Timothy Williamson[28] [29] [30] and debates with analytic philosophers John Searle,[31] Simon Blackburn,[32] and others.[33] [34] Despite accepting the basic postmodernist claims about the unrealistic nature of an objective truth, Lawson emphasises the need for “post-realism”. He argues that postmodernism is made incoherent by self-reference and ‘associated project of describing the relationship between language and the world.’[35] [36] [37]

Lawson’s theory of “closure” responds to his rejection of realism and postmodernism, by proposing that the world is open and complex, but that it is enclosed by defined limits such as language and meaning.[38] [39] As Patrick Dillon says, ‘Closure can be understood as the imposition of fixity on openness. The closing of that which is open. […] Through closure there are things’.[40] The theory shifts the focus of metaphysics away from language and towards an exploration of the tension between openness and closure.[41] [42] Given Lawson’s earlier work on self-reference, an important element of the theory of “closure” is its own self-referential nature.[43]

The framework of closure enables Lawson to claim that he provides an account of the relationship between language and the world that does not rely on reference and which he argues overcomes the problem of how language is hooked onto the world that beset twentieth century philosophy.[38] [44] One of the consequences of the theory is that philosophical oppositions, between language and the world, fact and value, are no longer regarded as oppositions.[45] [46] Lawson proposes that science is 'driven by the search for closure’, whilst art is described as 'the pursuit of openness and the avoidance of closure', demonstrating that the two are not in opposition to one another but rather in different relationships to openness and closure.[47]

Books

In Reflexivity, Lawson argued that self-reference was central to contemporary philosophy.[48] Using Nietzsche, Heidegger and Derrida as the main examples, he sought to show that reflexivity was the primary motor of their work.[49] [50] It was implicit that similar arguments could be applied to Wittgenstein and the analytic tradition.[51] [52]

The introduction to Closure extends the arguments put forward in Reflexivity to the broader philosophical tradition.[53] It argues that issues of self-reference undermine currently available philosophical positions. The main body of the book describes the process of closure and the means by which people can intervene in the world and seemingly understand it.[54] [55] [56] In doing so it seeks to demonstrate that meaning and understanding are not dependent on notions of reference and truth, arguing that although there is nothing in common between closure and openness this does not limit the ability to intervene successfully in the world.[57] [58] [59] Other books include Dismantling Truth: Science in Post-Modern Times.[60] Articles include After Truth,[61] On Integrity,[62] and Philosophy As.[63] [64] [65]

Art

Lawson created his first video paintings in 2001, with the aim of escaping narrative closure.[66] [67] He went on to found the Artscape Project in 2003, which brought a collective of artists together to develop the new medium.[68] [69]

His video painting work has been exhibited at: the Hayward Gallery (2006); sketch (restaurant) (2007),[70] the ICA (2007), and The Globe at Hay gallery (2008).[71] Now Revisited, performed at Shunt, London in 2009, was a video painting installation in five acts in which the audience found themselves the subject of the work.[72] [73]

Documentary film and factual television

Lawson's documentary films include: Your Own Worst Enemy, writer and producer, (ITV); Science … fiction?, written and directed (BBC);[74] [75] Broken Images, written and directed (BBC);[76] [77] [78] The First World, written and directed (Channel 4);[79] The Man, the Myth, and The Maker, produced and presented (Channel 4); Incredible Evidence (90mins),[80] written and directed (Channel 4).His current affairs output includes: The World This Week (1hr, weekly 1988-93), Editor (Channel 4); Cooking the Books, written and directed (Channel 4);[81] Patent on Life, written and directed (Channel 4); For Queen or Country, written and directed (Channel 4).[82]

Awards

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hilary Lawson . Forum for Philosophy. 7 July 2014 .
  2. The Ideas Man. The Fence. 12. 2022-08-11. James Waddell. 2022-08-12.
  3. Web site: Hilary Lawson . The Guardian. 11 November 2021.
  4. Book: Law . J . After method: Mess in Social Science Research . 2004 . Routledge.
  5. Web site: Hilary Lawson. https://web.archive.org/web/20180429170726/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9f28499f . dead . 29 April 2018 . BFI.
  6. Web site: Raymond . Gary . Interview: Hilary Lawson, Director of How The Light Gets In . Wales Art Review . 26 May 2016. 11 November 2021.
  7. Web site: Hilary Lawson . Forum for Philosophy. 7 July 2014 .
  8. Book: Cilliers . P . Complexity and postmodernism: Understanding Complex Systems . 1998 . Routledge.
  9. Harvey . Lee . Review: Reflexivity: The Post-Modern Predicament by Hilary Lawson . Acta Sociologica . 1988 . 31 . 185 . 10.1177/000169938803100207 . 4200700 . 144925032 . 16 November 2021.
  10. Nakayama . Tom . Whiteness: A strategic rhetoric . Quarterly Journal of Speech . 1995 . 81 . 3 . 303 . 10.1080/00335639509384117 .
  11. BFI National Library and BFI National Archive . JICTAR Weekly Audience TV Reports . 1981.
  12. Book: Joseph . Michael . Where There's Life . 1982 . 0-7181-2137-6.
  13. Book: Bonner . P . Aston . L . Independent Television in Britain: New Developments in Independent Television 1981-92: Channel 4, TV-am, Cable and Satellite . 2003 . Palgrave Macmillan.
  14. News: Mair . John . Waking up to a new era . The Guardian . 4 May 2010. 11 November 2021.
  15. Book: Montefiore . Alan . Integrity in the Public and Private Domains . 1999 . Routledge . 9781134679386 . 11 November 2021.
  16. BFI National Library and BFI National Archive . JICTAR Weekly Audience TV Reports . 1981.
  17. Web site: Hilary Lawson. https://web.archive.org/web/20180429170726/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9f28499f . dead . 29 April 2018 . BFI.
  18. Book: Lawson . Hilary . Closure: A Story of Everything . 2001 . Routledge.
  19. Book: Cupitt . Don . Is Nothing Sacred?: The Non-realist Philosophy of Religion : Selected Essays . 2002 . Fordham University Press . New York . 0-8232-2203-9 . xxi.
  20. Web site: Oxford University Philosophy Society, Hilary 2018 Termcard .
  21. Web site: Raymond . Gary . Interview: Hilary Lawson, Director of How The Light Gets In . Wales Art Review . 26 May 2016. 11 November 2021.
  22. Book: Dismantling Truth: Reality in the Post-Modern World . 1989 . Weidenfeld and Nicolson.
  23. Troiani . Igea Santina . 2005 . The politics of friends in modern architecture 1949-1987 . Queensland University of Technology . 24 . 21 December 2021.
  24. Book: After Truth - A Post Modern Manifesto . 1986 . Inventions Press UK.
  25. Web site: Horizon, BBC, tx . the tvdb . 17 February 1986. 11 November 2021.
  26. Book: Hackett . Dennis . New Scientist Review . 27 February 1986 . 53 .
  27. Rorty . Richard . Science in Solidarity . Dismantling Truth: Reality in the Post-Modern World . History of the Human Sciences . 1989 . 9 . 3 . 1–25 . Weidenfeld and Nicolson . 10.1177/095269519600900301 . 145627339 .
  28. Web site: Lawson . Hilary . Post-realism . IAI news.
  29. Web site: Williamson . Timothy . In defence of realism . IAI news. 29 January 2021 .
  30. Web site: Williamson . Timothy . Politics, truth and self-reference . IAI news. 23 February 2021 .
  31. Web site: After the End of Truth John Searle, Hilary Lawson Hannah Dawson . art19.com . Philosophy For Our Times . 31 August 2016.
  32. Web site: Morality Before Metaphysics . IMDB.
  33. Web site: Is Post-modernism to Blame for Our Post-truth World? . LSE Player . 2 October 2017.
  34. Web site: Error, Lies and Adventure: the pursuit of adventure . LSE Player . 1 May 2013. 11 November 2021.
  35. Web site: Oxford University Philosophy Society, Hilary 2018 Termcard .
  36. Web site: Lawson . Hilary . Post-realism . IAI news.
  37. Web site: Hilary Lawson . Forum for Philosophy. 7 July 2014 .
  38. Barton . John Arthur . 2007 . Systems Thinking: Philosophy, Methodology and Applications to Knowledge Management . Monash University . 46 .
  39. Web site: Besner . Linda . The Closure Delusion . Hazlitt . 10 June 2013 . 21 December 2021.
  40. Dillon . Patrick . An Epistemology of Presence and Reconceptualisation in Design Education . Interchange . March 2007 . 82 .
  41. Fryer . Gladin . 2007 . A practice of painting: living with the reception and generation of image on the visual threshold . University of Plymouth .
  42. News: Eyres . Harry . Among the ghosts of Fleet Street . Financial Times . 6 December 2013 . 21 December 2021.
  43. Book: du Toit . Cornel W . Viewed from the Shoulders of God: Themes in Science and Theology . 2007 . University of South Africa . Pretoria . 978-1-86888-481-0 . 161–162 .
  44. Web site: Besner . Linda . The Closure Delusion . Hazlitt . 10 June 2013 . 21 December 2021.
  45. Web site: Beyond Truth: Error and Adventure . LSE Player . 4 March 2013. 11 November 2021.
  46. Web site: The Power of Lies . LSE Podcasts . 21 March 2013.
  47. News: Eyres . Harry . Among the ghosts of Fleet Street . Financial Times . 6 December 2013 . 21 December 2021.
  48. Taylor . Mark C. . Lawson, Hilary, "Reflexivity: The Post-modern Predicament" (Book Review) . Journal of the American Academy of Religion . 1987 . 55 . 2 . 402. 10.1093/jaarel/LV.2.402 .
  49. Macey . David . Hammers and Nuts . Radical Philosophy . 1987 . 45 . 47 . 11 November 2021.
  50. Book: Lather . P . Feminist research and pedagogy within/in the postmodern . 1991.
  51. Book: Cilliers . P . Complexity and postmodernism: Understanding Complex Systems . 1998 . Routledge.
  52. Book: Wilber . K . Sex, ecology, spirituality: The Spirit of Evolution . 2001 . Shambhala.
  53. Book: Lawson . Hilary . Closure: A Story of Everything . 2001 . Routledge.
  54. Book: Law . J . After method: Mess in Social Science Research . 2004 . Routledge.
  55. Barton . J . Stephens . J . Haslett . T . Action Research: Its Foundations in Open Systems Thinking and Relationship to the Scientific Method . Systemic Practice and Action Research . 2009 . 22 . 6 . 481. 10.1007/s11213-009-9148-6 . 144252485 .
  56. Book: Evans . K . An introduction to integrative psychotherapy . 2005.
  57. Web site: Beyond Truth: Error and Adventure . LSE Player . 4 March 2013. 11 November 2021.
  58. Web site: The Power of Lies . LSE Podcasts . 21 March 2013.
  59. Web site: Is Post-modernism to Blame for Our Post-truth World? . LSE Player . 2 October 2017.
  60. Book: Dismantling Truth: Reality in the Post-Modern World . 1989 . Weidenfeld and Nicolson.
  61. Book: After Truth - A Post Modern Manifesto . 1986 . Inventions Press UK.
  62. Web site: Lawson . Hilary . On Integrity . Port Magazine. 15 May 2013 . 11 November 2021.
  63. Web site: Kang . Meng Chow . An action research derived piezoelectric approach for information risk management . Southern Cross University . 209 . 2008.
  64. Web site: Lawrence . Stephen . A Poetic of Disunity: Selves and Silence . Digital Library . University of Adelaide . 2010.
  65. Web site: Lawson . Hilary . The Poetic Strategy . IABLIS . 2008. 11 November 2021.
  66. Book: Suess . E . Doors don't slam: time-based architectural representation . Consuming Architecture . Doors don't slam: Time-based architectural representation . 2014 . 259–275 . Routledge . 10.4324/9781315813523-23 . 9781315813523 . 11 November 2021.
  67. Bolewski . Christin . Narrative and spatiotemporal structure in video painting . Loughborough University . 12 . 2021 . 10.26174/thesis.lboro.14547030.v1 . thesis .
  68. Web site: The Open Prize for Video Painting 2010 . Aesthetica . 21 July 2010.
  69. Web site: Open gallery at the London Art Fair . Artrabbit. 11 November 2021.
  70. Web site: Video Painting . 12 November 2021.
  71. Web site: The Globe at Hay . Visit Wales. 11 November 2021.
  72. Web site: Now Revisited . Artrabbit. 11 November 2021.
  73. Web site: Hilary Lawson, Now Revisited Revisited (2009). www.opengallery.co.uk. November 12, 2021.
  74. Book: Hackett . Dennis . New Scientist Review . 27 February 1986 . 53 .
  75. Web site: Lawson Hilary Lawson Results . British Universities Film & Video Council.
  76. Web site: Hilary Lawson . IMDB. 11 November 2021.
  77. News: Herbert . Hugh . Broken Images . The Guardian . 31 March 1987.
  78. News: Cropper . Martin . Broken Images . The Times . 31 March 1987.
  79. Web site: The First World . TVF International.
  80. Web site: Hilary Lawson . IMDB. 11 November 2021.
  81. Web site: Hilary Lawson . IMDB. 11 November 2021.
  82. Web site: Hilary Lawson. https://web.archive.org/web/20180429170726/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9f28499f . dead . 29 April 2018 . BFI.
  83. Web site: The First World . TVF International.
  84. Web site: Educational Television Awards 2000 . Royal Television Society. 24 January 2011 .
  85. Web site: Children's Schools Factual - Primary in 2001 . BAFTA.

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