Roman Krznaric

Roman Krznaric is a social philosopher who writes about the power of ideas to create change. His internationally bestselling books, including The Good Ancestor, Empathy and Carpe Diem Regained, have been published in more than 25 languages. He is Senior Research Fellow at Oxford University’s Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing and founder of the world’s first Empathy Museum.

As humanity faces a future of uncertainty, we would be wise to look backwards as we seek to chart a way forwards. What can the history of slave revolts teach us about the power of rebellion to tackle the climate crisis? How might understanding the origins of capitalism spark ideas for bringing AI under control? What could we learn from eighteenth century Japan for creating regenerative economies today, or from Europe’s forgotten Islamic kingdom for nurturing cultures of tolerance?

In this talk based on his new book History for Tomorrow: Inspiration from the Past for the Future of Humanity, leading social philosopher Roman Krznaric offers fascinating insights from the last 1000 years of world history that could help us confront the most urgent challenges of the twenty-first century. Krznaric reveals how, time and again, societies have risen up, often against the odds, to overcome crises and fight injustices. History offers a vision of radical hope that could turn out to be our most vital tool for surviving and thriving in the turbulent decades ahead.

Photo Credit: Kate Raworth