Rick Lewis
Encyclopedia
Rick Lewis is the founder and editor of Philosophy Now
, and thereby one of the main initiators of the popular philosophy movement in the English speaking world. He launched the magazine in 1991, the first ever philosophy magazine worldwide. This new initiative facilitated a wave of popular philosophy activities in Great Britain, the United States, and elsewhere, which has since strengthened, and to the present owes much of its impetus to Lewis' work.
A few years after launching the magazine, Lewis succeeded in having it accepted by the UK news trade, making it the first philosophy title to appear on ordinary news stands.
In the mid-1990s, France
and other countries saw a wave of philosophy cafés
, informal philosophy meetings held in cafes. The first of these were created by Marc Sautet
in Paris
, and by the late 1990s they numbered in the hundreds. In 1998 Lewis and his Philosophy Now colleague Bryn R. Williams were among the first to import this innovation into Britain
, adapting it to the local culture by holding philosophy meetings in pubs rather than cafés. Their first Pub Philosophy meeting was held at The Glassblower in Piccadilly Circus
, and was reported on by Radio London
; later meetings took place in another West End pub, The Clachan.
Lewis lives in South London
, and has been a guest on philosophy-related programmes on BBC Radio 4
and elsewhere.
Philosophy Now
Philosophy Now is a philosophy magazine, published every two months and sold from news-stands and bookstores in the USA, UK, Australia and Canada. It aims to appeal to the general educated public, as well as to students and philosophy teachers. It was founded in 1991...
, and thereby one of the main initiators of the popular philosophy movement in the English speaking world. He launched the magazine in 1991, the first ever philosophy magazine worldwide. This new initiative facilitated a wave of popular philosophy activities in Great Britain, the United States, and elsewhere, which has since strengthened, and to the present owes much of its impetus to Lewis' work.
A few years after launching the magazine, Lewis succeeded in having it accepted by the UK news trade, making it the first philosophy title to appear on ordinary news stands.
In the mid-1990s, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and other countries saw a wave of philosophy cafés
Café Philosophique
Café philosophique is a grassroots forum for philosophical discussion, founded by philosopher Marc Sautet in Paris, France....
, informal philosophy meetings held in cafes. The first of these were created by Marc Sautet
Marc Sautet
Marc Sautet was a French writer, teacher, translator ), and philosopher. He was a Doctor of Philosophy ) at the Paris Institute of Political Studies. Sautet was a former Trotskyist who however edited two books on the German philosopher and philologist Friedrich Nietzsche...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and by the late 1990s they numbered in the hundreds. In 1998 Lewis and his Philosophy Now colleague Bryn R. Williams were among the first to import this innovation into Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, adapting it to the local culture by holding philosophy meetings in pubs rather than cafés. Their first Pub Philosophy meeting was held at The Glassblower in Piccadilly Circus
Piccadilly Circus
Piccadilly Circus is a road junction and public space of London's West End in the City of Westminster, built in 1819 to connect Regent Street with the major shopping street of Piccadilly...
, and was reported on by Radio London
Radio London
Radio London may refer to one of the following radio stations:*A popular name for the BBC World Service in Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II*The station now known as BBC London 94.9...
; later meetings took place in another West End pub, The Clachan.
Lewis lives in South London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and has been a guest on philosophy-related programmes on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
and elsewhere.
External links
- Philosophy Now official site
- http://them.polylog.org/2/dee-en.htm