Lifelong Learning and the Many Aims of Higher Education

Richard Pettigrew (University of Bristol)

The second annual Daniel C. Dennett Lecture in Culture and Technology will take place at Northeastern University London on February 19th 2026.   

We are excited to announce that the 2026 lecture will be delivered by Professor Richard Pettigrew (Bristol).  

Title:

Lifelong Learning and the Many Aims of Higher Education  

Abstract: 

When academics try to identify the aims of higher education, they tend to emphasise a single central aim, and then appeal to that aim to justify something close to the current system, perhaps adapted a little to remove certain barriers to access. In this lecture, I'll argue that higher education serves a great many aims, and many of those are central to individual lives and the broader life of the society in which we live. What’s more, I will argue that, once we identify those aims, we see that a much more radical conclusion follows. Our present system serves them rather poorly, and a system that serves them well must put lifelong learning at its centre. I will describe what such a system might look like.  

The Daniel C. Dennett Lectures in Culture and Technology at NU London:

In these annual lectures, world-leading experts explore philosophical topics at the intersection of humanities, natural and social sciences, technology, and public discourse. The lectures are representative of the kind of boundary-crossing, applied approach that characterised Daniel Dennett's life and career - and which is at the heart of the humanities at NU London. Aimed at the general public, the lectures are designed to bring the humanities into wider discussion, and require no prior knowledge of philosophy or any other discipline. The 2025 lecture was delivered by Mazviita Chirimuuta (Edinburgh).  

With thanks to the Dennett Estate for permission to use Daniel C. Dennett's name (note that this event is not associated with the Dennett Prize). 

For any enquiries, please contact [email protected]