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Reason and Desire

Mark Tully considers the eternal human conflict between our reason and our desires and asks how we might achieve the right balance between the two.

Mark Tully considers the eternal human conflict between our Reason and our Desires. To what extent should the first regulate the second? And how do we achieve the right balance between the two.

With readings from Aristotle, Fernando Pessoa and Kim Addonizio, and a diverse range of music, from The Rolling Stones to Wagner, Mark compares secular thoughts on the subject with the teachings of various religions.

The programme features an interview with Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad, Professor of Comparative Religion and Philosophy at Lancaster University who makes it clear that there is no one single attitude towards reason and desire in Christianity or in religions of Indian origin.

But whether bound by secular or religious thoughts on the matter, Mark sees a clear need for our desires of all sorts to be controlled to some extent, however difficult it is to find a balance between desire and reason.

The readers are Peter Guinness and Samantha Bond.

Producer: Adam Fowler
A Unique production for 大象传媒 Radio 4

28 minutes

Last on

Sun 10 Apr 2022 23:30
大象传媒 Radio 4

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Challenging Your Instincts

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The Moon in My Life

See all episodes from Something Understood

Music Played

  • The Rolling Stones

    You Can't Always Get What You Want

    Performer: The Rolling Stones

    • The Rolling Stones Singles Collection 鈥� The London Years (Remastered).
    • Universal Music Group.
    • B004OLYIWM.

  • Georges Bizet

    Havanaise 'L'amour est un oiseau rebelle' from Carmen

    Performer: Berliner Philharmoniker directed by Herbert van Karajan

    • Carmen.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 413 322-2.

  • Edmund Rubbra

    1. Rondel from Four Mediavel Latin Lyrics, Op. 32

    Performer: Stephen Varcoe, Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chorus directed by Jospeh Cullen, City of London Sinfonia directed by Richard Hickox

    • Inscape etc..
    • Chandos.
    • CHAN 9847.

  • Richard Wagner - Overture from Tannhaeuser

    Performer: Berliner Philharmoniker directed by Klaus Tennstedt

  • Eddi Reader and Boo Hewerdine

    The Wanting Kind

    Performer: Eddi Reader, Boo Hewerdine, Roy Dodds, Teddy Borowiecki

    • Simple Soul.
    • Rough Trade Records.
    • rtadecd011.

  • Tom谩s Luis de Victoria

    Vadam et circuibo civtatem

    Performer: The Sixteen by Harry Christophers

    • Volume III: The Call of the Beloved.
    • Collins Digital.
    • 15212.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 11 Mar 2012 06:05
    大象传媒 Radio 4
  • Sun 11 Mar 2012 23:30
    大象传媒 Radio 4
  • Sun 10 Apr 2022 06:05
    大象传媒 Radio 4
  • Sun 10 Apr 2022 23:30
    大象传媒 Radio 4