Our friends at the IAI (The Institute of Art and Ideas) have allowed us another recorded panel, this time looking to explore ‘reality’s edge’ and featuring Terry Pratchett, Terry Eagleton and Antonia Byatt with Mary Ann Sieghart hosting.
In the video, Pratchett sparks an interesting debate on how fantasy and fiction are more alike than we may initially think and Eagleton raises the argument that fantasy is a fundamental part of our culture and that its importance is often overlooked.
Here’s the official summary before we let you get on with viewing the video: Fantasy tales are often seen as peripheral to culture, with little to contribute to our lives beyond throwaway entertainment. Is this an error? Might fantasies be central to how we perceive the world, and even gesture towards the limits of our understanding?
Richard Marpole
Jennie Ivins