Conversation with A C Grayling
My best book-related event in the last few weeks was meeting A C Grayling, the well-known Oxford philosopher and one of my personal idols. He was delivering the Elston Ethics Lecture at St Georges House, an organisation that I support. I had not realised that he is also chair of the judging panel for the 2014 Man Booker Prize.
The lecture was entitled "Good Lives and the 'Good Life'", and I took the opportunity to speak with Prof Grayling at the reception after. I asked a question about the link between his humanist philosophy and Buddhism, specifically whether a point he had made about being a good listener and observer was linked to the Buddhist concept of leaving behind attachment to see more clearly. He responded that he believes that some attachments--like to family--are not ones that one wants to leave behind. I don't disagree with that, and we agreed that there can be different understandings of "attachment".
Although I had no intention to mention The Deal, polite man that he is, Prof Grayling asked what I do. I explained that I am an international lawyer and investor, and have also recently written a book. He was interested--"You know I'm a Man Booker judge" and happily took a copy of one of the promotional cards for the book that I usually carry with me. Looking at the card he said: "你讲普通话吗? You speak Mandarin", which led to a brief exchange in Mandarin. He finished with a promise to have a look at the book.
What a gratifying conversation!
The lecture was entitled "Good Lives and the 'Good Life'", and I took the opportunity to speak with Prof Grayling at the reception after. I asked a question about the link between his humanist philosophy and Buddhism, specifically whether a point he had made about being a good listener and observer was linked to the Buddhist concept of leaving behind attachment to see more clearly. He responded that he believes that some attachments--like to family--are not ones that one wants to leave behind. I don't disagree with that, and we agreed that there can be different understandings of "attachment".
Although I had no intention to mention The Deal, polite man that he is, Prof Grayling asked what I do. I explained that I am an international lawyer and investor, and have also recently written a book. He was interested--"You know I'm a Man Booker judge" and happily took a copy of one of the promotional cards for the book that I usually carry with me. Looking at the card he said: "你讲普通话吗? You speak Mandarin", which led to a brief exchange in Mandarin. He finished with a promise to have a look at the book.
What a gratifying conversation!
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