John Gray (philosopher)

Gray sees volition, and hence morality, as an illusion, and portrays humanity as a ravenous species engaged in wiping out other forms of life. Gray has written that "humans ... cannot destroy the Earth, but they can easily wreck the environment that sustains them."^[4]

Academic career

Gray was born into a working-class family, with a docker-turned-carpenter father,^[3] in South Shields, County Durham. He attended South Shields Grammar-Technical School for Boys from 1959 until 1967,^[5] then studied at Exeter College, Oxford, reading philosophy, politics and economics (PPE), completing his B.A., M.Phil. and D.Phil.

He formerly held posts as lecturer in political theory at the University of Essex, fellow and tutor in politics at Jesus College, Oxford, and lecturer and then professor of politics at the University of Oxford. He has served as a visiting professor at Harvard University (1985–86) and Stranahan Fellow at the Social Philosophy and Policy Center, Bowling Green State University (1990–1994), and has also held visiting professorships at Tulane University's Murphy Institute (1991) and Yale University (1994). He was Professor of European Thought at the London School of Economics and Political Science until his retirement from academic life in early 2008.

Political and philosophical thought

Among philosophers, he is known for a thoroughgoing rejection of Rawlsianism^{[further explanation needed]} and for exploration of the uneasy relationship between value pluralism and liberalism in the work of Isaiah Berlin.^[6]

Gray's political thought is noted for its mobility across the political spectrum over the years. As a student, Gray was on the left and continued to vote Labour into the mid-1970s. By 1976 he had shifted towards a right-liberal New Right position, on the basis that the world was changing irrevocably through technological inventions, realigned financial markets and new economic power blocs and that the left failed to comprehend the magnitude and nature of this change.^[7] In the 1990s Gray became an advocate for environmentalism and New Labour. Gray considers the conventional (left-wing/right-wing) political spectrum of conservatism and social democracy as no longer viable.^[8]

On

More recently, he has criticised neoliberalism, the global free market and some of the central currents in Western thinking, such as humanism, while moving towards aspects of green thought, drawing on the Gaia theory of James Lovelock. It is perhaps for this critique of humanism that Gray is best known.^[10]

Central to the doctrine of humanism, in Gray's view, is the inherently

Gray contends, in opposition to this view, that history is not progressive, but cyclical. Human nature, he argues, is an inherent obstacle to cumulative ethical or political progress.^[10] Seeming improvements, if there are any, can very easily be reversed: one example he has cited has been the use of torture by the United States against terrorist suspects.^[11] "What's interesting", Gray said in an interview in 032c magazine, "is that torture not only came back, but was embraced by liberals, and defended by liberals. Now there are a lot of people, both liberal and conservative, who say, 'Well, it's a very complicated issue.' But it wasn't complicated until recently. They didn't say that five or ten years ago."^[12]

Furthermore, he argues that this belief in progress, commonly imagined to be secular and liberal, is in fact derived from an erroneous Christian notion of humans as morally autonomous beings categorically different from other animals. This belief, and the corresponding idea that history makes sense, or is progressing towards something, is in Gray's view merely a Christian prejudice.^[10]

In

He identifies the Enlightenment as the point at which the Christian doctrine of salvation was taken over by secular idealism and became a political religion with universal emancipation as its aim.^[10] Communism, fascism and "global democratic capitalism" are characterised by Gray as Enlightenment "projects" which have led to needless suffering, in Gray's view, as a result of their ideological allegiance to this religion.^[13]

Agonistic liberalism

The term agonistic liberalism appears in Gray's 1995 book Isaiah Berlin. Gray uses this phrase to describe what he believes is Berlin's theory of politics, namely his support for both value pluralism and liberalism.

More generally, agonistic liberalism could be used to describe any kind of liberalism that claims its own value commitments do not form a complete vision of politics and society, and that one instead needs to look for what Berlin calls an "uneasy equilibrium" between competing values. In Gray's view, many contemporary liberal theorists would fall into this category, for instance John Rawls and Karl Popper.^{[citation needed]}

Reception

Acclaim

Gray's work has been praised by, amongst others, the novelists J. G. Ballard, Will Self and John Banville, the theologian Don Cupitt, the journalist Bryan Appleyard, the political scientist David Runciman, historian and cultural critic Morris Berman, investor and philanthropist George Soros, the environmental scientist James Lovelock and the author Nassim Nicholas Taleb.^{[10][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]}

Friedrich Hayek described Gray's 1984 book Hayek on Liberty as "The first survey of my work which not only fully understands but is able to carry on my ideas beyond the point at which I left off."^[21]

Gray has discussed James Lovelock's new ideas on evolution's next step: a species beyond humanity that will be better able to co-exist with other species on this planet in the distant future.^{[citation needed]}

His 1998 book False Dawn was praised by George Soros as "a powerful analysis of the deepening instability of global capitalism" which "should be read by all who are concerned about the future of the global economy".^[19] John Banville praised Black Mass, saying that "Gray's assault on Enlightenment ideas of progress is timelier than ever".^[22]

His 2002 book Straw Dogs: Thoughts on Humans and Other Animals has received particular praise. J. G. Ballard wrote that the book "challenges most of our assumptions about what it means to be human, and convincingly shows that most of them are delusions" and described it "a powerful and brilliant book", "an essential guide to the new millennium" and "the most exhilarating book I have read since Richard Dawkins's The Selfish Gene."^[23] Will Self called the book "a contemporary work of philosophy devoid of jargon, wholly accessible, and profoundly relevant to the rapidly evolving world we live in" and wrote "I read it once, I read it twice and took notes. I arranged to meet its author so I could publicise the book – I thought it that good."^[14][23]

In 2002 Straw Dogs was named a book of the year by J. G. Ballard in

The Sunday Express.^{[citation needed}

]

Nassim Nicholas Taleb has written that John Gray is the modern thinker for whom he has the most respect, calling him "prophetic".^[24]

Criticism

Gray's

rationalist who passed away with John Stuart Mill, but who he has to pretend still rules the world".^[25]

The academic and author Danny Postel of the

neo-Malthusian persiflage about overpopulation".^[26] Postel strongly condemned Gray for outlining "complete political passivity. There is no point whatsoever in our attempting to make the world a less cruel or more livable place."^[26]

In his 2004 book, How Mumbo-Jumbo Conquered the World, the British journalist, writer and broadcaster, Francis Wheen, wrote:

"Conservatives, Marxists, post-modernists and pre-modernists have queued up to take a kick at the bruised ideas of the eighteenth century. The most vicious of these boot-boys is John Gray, professor of European thought at the London School of Economics, who has published dozens of increasingly apocalyptic books and articles on the need to end the Enlightenment project forthwith. Whereas MacIntyre seeks sanctuary in twelfth-century monasteries, for Gray our only hope of salvation is to embrace Eastern mysticism ... Taoism seems to be his favoured creed but it is hard to interpret Gray's prescriptions with any certainty, partly because of his scattergun style but mostly because he changes his mind so often. A line on the dust-jacket of Enlightenment's Wake (1995), which says that the book 'stakes out the elements of John Gray's new position' could just as well be appended to everything he writes."^[27]

BBC Radio

John Gray has made several broadcasts for BBC Radio 4's programme A Point of View.

In August and September 2011, he made six broadcasts:

• Greece and the Meaning of Folly:^[28] Taking the myth of the Trojan Horse as his starting point, he explores what he sees as the modern-day folly unfolding in Europe.
• Kim Philby:^[29] Why Kim Philby and so many others failed to predict the future.
• The Revolution of Capitalism:^[30] Why an increasing number of people believe that Karl Marx was right.
• Cats, Birds and Humans:^[31] Why the human animal needs contact with something other than itself.
• Believing in Belief:^[32] Argues that the scientific and rationalist attack on religion is misguided.
• Churchill, Chance and the Black Dog:^[33] The chance encounters that made Winston Churchill Britain's wartime Prime Minister.

He presented a second sequence from November 2014, sharing his Point of View on:^[34]

• Capitalism and the Myth of Social Evolution
• Soylent and the Charm of the Fast Lane
• Dostoevsky and Dangerous Ideas
• Thinking the Unthinkable

In March 2023 he made another broadcast:^[35]

• Proportional Representation and a New Politics

Other programmes include:

• "The Dangers of a Higher Education" (23 February 2018)
• "Teffi: Silver Shoes and the Dream of Revolution" (2 March 2018)
• "Brexit and Illiberal Europe" (July 2018)^[36]

Honours

Asteroid

M.P.C. 63174).^[38] Gray is a member of World Minds

.

Books

• Gray, John (2023). The New Leviathans: Thoughts After Liberalism. London:
  ISBN 978-0-241-55495-1
  .
• Gray, John (2021). Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life. London:
  ISBN 978-0-14-198842-9
  .
• Gray, John (2018). Seven Types of Atheism. London:
  ISBN 978-0-241-19941-1
  .
• Gray, John (2016). The Soul of the Marionette: A Short Inquiry into Human Freedom. London:
  ISBN 978-0-241-95390-7
  .
• Gray, John (2013). The Silence of Animals: On Progress and Other Modern Myths. New York:
  ISBN 978-0-374-22917-7
  .
• Gray, John (2011). The Immortalization Commission: Science and the Strange Quest to Cheat Death. New York:
  ISBN 978-0-374-17506-1
  .
• Gray, John (2009). Gray's Anatomy: Selected Writings. London:
  ISBN 978-1-84614-191-1
  .
  • Gray, John (2016). Gray's Anatomy: Selected Writings (Rev. ed.). London:
    ISBN 978-0-14-198111-6
    .
• Gray, John (2007). Black Mass: Apocalyptic Religion and the Death of Utopia. London:
  ISBN 978-0-7139-9915-0
  .
• Gray, John (2004). Heresies: Against Progress and Other Illusions. London:
  ISBN 978-1-86207-718-8
  .
• Gray, John (2003). Al Qaeda and What It Means to Be Modern. New York:
  ISBN 978-1-56584-805-4
  .
• Gray, John (2002).
  ISBN 978-1-86207-512-2
  .
• Gray, John (2000). Two Faces of Liberalism. Cambridge:
  ISBN 978-0-7456-2259-0
  .
• Gray, John (1999). Voltaire. London & New York:
  ISBN 978-0-415-92394-1
  .
• Gray, John (1998).
  ISBN 978-1-86207-023-3
  .
  • Gray, John (2009). False Dawn: The Delusions of Global Capitalism (Rev. ed.). London:
    ISBN 978-1-84708-132-2
    .
• Gray, John (1997). Endgames: Questions in Late Modern Political Thought. Cambridge:
  ISBN 978-0-415-17315-5
  .
• Gray, John (1996). After Social Democracy: Politics, Capitalism and the Common Life. London:
  ISBN 978-1-898309-52-9
  .
• Gray, John (1995). Enlightenment's Wake: Politics and Culture at the Close of the Modern Age. London & New York:
  ISBN 978-0-415-12475-1
  .
• Gray, John (1995). Isaiah Berlin. London & New York:
  ISBN 978-0-00-255582-1
  .
• Gray, John (1993). Post-Liberalism: Studies in Political Thought. London & New York:
  ISBN 978-0-415-08873-2
  .
• Gray, John (1993). Beyond the New Right: Markets, Government and the Common Environment. London & New York:
  ISBN 978-0-415-09297-5
  .
• Gray, John (1989). Liberalisms: Essays in Political Philosophy. London & New York:
  ISBN 978-0-415-00744-3
  .
• Gray, John (1986). Liberalism. Minneapolis:
  ISBN 978-0-8166-1521-6
  .
  • Gray, John (1998). Liberalism (2nd ed.). Milton Keynes:
    ISBN 978-0-8166-2801-8
    .
• Gray, John (1984). Hayek on Liberty. Hoboken, New Jersey:
  ISBN 978-0-85520-710-6 – via Internet Archive
  .
  • Gray, John (1998). Hayek on Liberty (Rev. ed.). London & New York:
    ISBN 978-0-415-17315-5
    .
• Gray, John (1991). J.S. Mill's On Liberty in Focus. London & New York:
  ISBN 978-0-415-01001-6
  .
  • Gray, John (1996). Mill on Liberty: A Defence (2nd ed.). London & New York:
    ISBN 978-0-415-12474-4
    .
• Gray, John; Pelczynski, Zbigniew, eds. (1984). Conceptions of Liberty. London:
  ISBN 978-0-485-11236-8
  .

Film appearances

• Marx Reloaded, Arte, April 2011.

References

1. ^ "John Gray at the Writers' Festival – Part 1 – The Philosopher's Zone – ABC Radio National (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 28 June 2008. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
2. ^ De Botton, Alain (4 March 2013). "Alain de Botton on five great philosophical pessimists". The Telegraph. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
3. ^ ^{a b} Preston, John (28 February 2013). "John Gray interview: how an English academic become the world's pre-eminent prophet of doom". The Daily Telegraph.
4. ISBN 1-86207-512-3
5. ^ "The NS Profile: John Gray". Newstatesman.com. 16 April 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
6. ^ Cherniss, Joshua; Hardy, Henry. "Isaiah Berlin". In Zalta, Edward N. (ed.). The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2007 ed.). Retrieved 4 July 2007. §4. Ethical Thought and Value Pluralism.
7. doi:10.1111/1467-923X.00137
   .
8. ^ False Dawn: The Delusions of Global Capitalism
9. ISBN 0-8166-2801-7
   , p. xii.
10. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Straw Dogs: Thoughts on Humans and Other Animals
11. ^ "Going nowhere: Laurie Taylor interviews John Gray". Newhumanist.org.uk. 31 May 2007. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
12. ^ Obrist, Hans Ulrich (2008). "John Gray: Post-American Age". 032c. Archived from the original on 29 June 2010. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
13. ^ The darkness within. John Gray on why the left is in flight from "human nature". John Gray. Published in New Statesman 16 September 2002
14. ^ ^{a b} Self, Will (3 September 2002). "John Gray: forget everything you know". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 9 March 2015.
15. ^ Cowley, Jason (19 September 2002). "Review: Straw Dogs by John Gray". The Observer. London.
16. ^ Appleyard, Bryan (24 June 2007). "John Gray's apocalypse". The Sunday Times. London. Archived from the original on 4 July 2008.
17. ^ Berman, Morris (11 January 2013). "The Hula Hoop Theory of History". CounterPunch.org.
18. ^ Berman, Morris (10 August 2023). "DARK AGES AMERICA: Our Common Humanity". " Not sure I'm in his (Gray's) league, but thanks for the compliment. I have admired his work for a long time. Very sober analyst."
19. ^ ^{a b} False Dawn: The Delusions of Global Capitalism
20. ^ Black Mass: Apocalyptic Religion and the Death of Utopia
21. ISBN 978-0-19-991188-2
    .
22. ^ Gray's Anatomy: Selected Writings
23. ^
    ISBN 978-1-86207-596-2
    .
24. ^ "Granta Books". Granta Books. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
25. ^ Eagleton, Terry (7 September 2002). "Review: Straw Dogs by John Gray". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
26. ^ ^{a b c} Postel, Danny (22 December 2003). "Gray's Anatomy". The Nation. New York. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
27. ISBN 0-00-714097-5
    .
28. ^ "BBC Radio 4 – A Point of View, Greece and the Meaning of Folly". Bbc.co.uk. 21 August 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
29. ^ "BBC Radio 4 – A Point of View, Kim Philby". Bbc.co.uk. 28 August 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
30. ^ "BBC Radio 4 – A Point of View, John Gray: The revolution of capitalism". Bbc.co.uk. 4 September 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
31. ^ "BBC Radio 4 – A Point of View, Cats, birds and humans". Bbc.co.uk. 11 September 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
32. ^ "BBC Radio 4 – A Point of View, Believing in Belief". Bbc.co.uk. 18 September 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
33. ^ "BBC Radio 4 – A Point of View, Churchill, chance and the black dog". Bbc.co.uk. 25 September 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
34. ^ "BBC Radio 4 – A Point of View – Episodes by date, November 2014". bbc.co.uk. BBC. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
35. ^ "A Point of View – Proportional Representation and a New Politics – BBC Sounds". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
36. ^ "BBC Radio 4 – A Point of View, Brexit and Illiberal Europe".
37. ^ "(91199) Johngray". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
38. ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 23 January 2020.

Further reading

• Tony Burns (1999). "John Gray and the Death of Conservatism". Contemporary Politics. 5 (1): 7–24.
  doi:10.1080/13569779908449987
  .
• George Crowder (2006). "Gray and the Politics of Pluralism". Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy. 9 (2: The Political Theory of John Gray): 171–188.
  S2CID 144224371
  .
• Horton, John and
  ISBN 0-415-36647-X
  .

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to John Gray (philosopher).

Interviews

* Interview on Novara Media (2023)

• Two-part interview conducted by Henk de Berg (2019).
  • part I: Atheism
  • part II: Political populism
• Myth Congeniality: John Gray discusses The Silence Of Animals, The Quietus 10 June 2013
• John Gray radio interview on the 'Philosopher's Zone', 28 June 2008
• 'Gray on Gray' (American Political Science Association)
• Audio: John N. Gray in conversation on the BBC World Service discussion programme
  The Forum

Reviews of his work

• AC Grayling reviews Black Mass, New Humanist July/August 2007
• Ian Hargearves, Professor of Journalism at Cardiff University reviews Straw Dogs.
• Terry Eagleton reviews Straw Dogs, The Guardian September 2002
• Simon Critchley on The Silence of Animals
• Jeremy Shearmur Gray's Progress: From Liberalisms to Enlightenment's Wake The Journal of Libertarian Studies 2007