Peter Cave read philosophy at University College London (UCL) and King's College, Cambridge. He has held lectureships in philosophy at UCL, University of Khartoum, Sudan, and City University London; he was an associate lecturer for many many years at the Open University (and is now Honorary) and New York University (London). Further, he is a principal examiner for the Chartered Insurance Institute.
Peter is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Honorary Member of Population Matters, former member of the Council of the Royal Institute of Philosophy and Chair of Humanist Philosophers – and is a Patron of Humanists UK. He is also a keen supporter of the Wigmore Hall and for some years English National Opera (now under unjustified funding cuts). He was elected to The Athenaeum Pall Mall Club in 2007.
Author of numerous philosophical papers, both serious and humorous, Peter’s particular interests are paradoxes, ethical matters and life and death dilemmas. He has given guest philosophy lectures at, for example, Copenhagen, Stockholm and Bucharest and has edited collections and written articles for various publications. In previous decades, he was columnist on taxation and money myths for The Investor magazine.
Peter has scripted and presented BBC radio philosophy programmes – from a series on the Paradox Fair to more serious ones on John Stuart Mill. He often takes part in public debates on religion, ethics and socio-political matters, in Britain and on the Continent – and believes that one should ‘stand up and be counted’ when faced with some horrors, horrors that are often the result of religious belief or unbridled enthusiasm for capitalism.
His philosophy books include 'This Sentence is False: an introduction to philosophical paradoxes'' and 'Humanism'. He is author of the light trilogy, 'Can a Robot Be Human?', 'What’s Wrong with Eating People?' and 'Do Llamas Fall in Love?' each one of which is subtitled '33 Perplexing Philosophy Puzzles'. He also authored 'How to think like a bat – and 34 other really interesting uses of philosophy', reissued and revised as 'How to outwit Aristotle'. In 2012 his 'Philosophy: A Beginner’s Guide appeared'; and 2015 saw his 'Ethics: A Beginner’s Guide' – both introductions being highly recommended – ‘lucid, witty, erudite, and wise’, ‘with his signature sharp style’. His puzzling paradox books have appeared, revised as 'The Big Think Book: Discover Philosophy through 99 Perplexities'.
Recent works include The Myths We Live By and two works co-authored with Professor Rabbi Dan Cohn-Sherbok on Israel, Jews and Judaism: namely, 'Jews: Nearly Everything You Wanted To Know* *but were too afraid to ask' and 'Arguments about Judaism'.
Peter's latest work, published by Bloomsbury (2023), is 'How To Think Like A Philosopher: Scholars, Dreamers and Sages Who Can Teach Us How To Live.
Peter cannot resist writing grumpy, challenging or sceptical letters to newspapers, often published, often pointing out fallacies in the reasoning of political leaders, frequently critical of the current Zeitgeist that disparages the poor. He objects to the current obsession for thunderous beat music in shops, restaurants and bars - and everlasting screeches of building and road works.
He has occasionally dabbled in life drawing, is keen on opera, lieder and string quartets, lives in dust and in Soho – and is often seen with a glass of wine…or two.
‘Do you believe in a life to come?’ asks Clov of Hamm in a Samuel Beckett play, the answer being, ‘All my life’s been a life to come.’ ‘How true,’ reflects Peter Cave.
