Bob Dylan: A Philosopher's Perspective

Bob Dylan became famous with what we now consider to be the anthems of the sixties: "Blowin' in the Wind", "The Times They Are A-changin" and "Mr Tambourine Man". The young Dylan conquered the world as a modern troubadour. Yet he himself has always been weary of the various roles attributed to him, particularly that of spokesman of a generation. For his later work he has been ridiculed and mocked and - except for some diehard fans - he has for some time been considered to be nothing but a sad reminder of a forgotten past. But things have changed: aged 66, Dylan is back in full swing. Recent years saw the release of Martin Scorsese's award-winning film biography "No Direction Home" and Dylan's latest album "Modern Times" which was rewarded with a Grammy Award.

The aim of this lecture is not to force Dylan's texts onto the Procrustean bed of philosophy, that is, the object is not to describe the "philosophy of Dylan" - if such a philosophy can be assumed to exist at all. Instead, Dylan's songs are used, sometimes rather freely, to illustrate, clarify or even suggest new answers to philosophical questions. In other words, the aim is to use Dylan's work to explore philosophical issues rather than to reveal a "deeper" meaning of the songs.

Martin van Hees works in the Department of Philosophy of Groningen University where he conducts research into moral philosophy and the foundations of liberalism. He is a Dylan-fan and was the author of a column entitled "Philosophical Reflections" in the Dylan-fanzine "Judas!".

Afterwards you are welcome to join us for some drinks in the main hall of the Cultural Center.