As part of The Dickson Poon School of Law’s Inaugural Lecture Series, Professor Lorenzo Zucca discusses his topic,"The Art of Navigating Uncertainty".
How would you situate ‘the fundamental tension between our desire for certainty and the inherent unpredictability of human life' to events happening in today's world?
The tension between our desire for certainty and the inherent unpredictability of human life is more relevant today than ever. We live in a world where rapid technological advancements, geopolitical upheavals, and the lingering effects of the pandemic have fundamentally disrupted our sense of stability. People crave certainty as a way to navigate these turbulent times, yet the unpredictability of human life - and the systems we build -makes this longing difficult, if not impossible, to fully satisfy.
One clear example is the climate crisis. While scientific consensus offers concrete predictions about the consequences of inaction, the human response remains fraught with uncertainty. Governments, corporations, and individuals wrestle with conflicting priorities, limited foresight, and even denial, complicating what should be a clear course of action. The unpredictability of human behaviour stands in stark contrast to the certainties offered by climate science, creating a paralysing dissonance.
Similarly, global political events - from the war in Ukraine to rising populist movements - highlight how unpredictability shapes our collective future. The war has unsettled assumptions about post-Cold War stability in Europe, while the resurgence of populism reflects a societal yearning for the false promise of simple answers in an uncertain world. Populist leaders exploit this tension, offering narratives that appear to resolve complexity, even when grounded in misinformation or authoritarian tendencies. These movements are born from the human desire for certainty, but their consequences often exacerbate instability.
At the individual level, the rise of artificial intelligence exemplifies this tension. AI promises to provide predictability and efficiency in areas ranging from healthcare to labour markets. Yet it also introduces profound unpredictability, reshaping industries and raising ethical questions we have barely begun to address. People are drawn to the promise of certainty AI offers - whether through optimised processes or predictive models - but its disruptive potential underscores how human life remains fundamentally unpredictable.
In the end, this tension reflects a universal paradox: we seek control in an uncontrollable world. Acknowledging this reality is not a cause for despair but a call to embrace adaptability. The unpredictability of human life, while unsettling, is also a source of creativity, resilience, and progress. By learning to navigate uncertainty rather than resist it, we can build more robust and dynamic responses to the challenges we face today.
Can you elaborate on why you use Shakespearean plays as a vehicle to express ideas relating to uncertainty?
I use Shakespearean plays as a vehicle to express ideas about uncertainty because his works are profoundly attuned to the human condition, where uncertainty is a defining characteristic. Shakespeare’s plays do not offer answers so much as they pose questions, often leaving resolutions deliberately ambiguous. This ambiguity mirrors the unpredictability of life itself and allows us to explore the tension between our yearning for certainty and the inherently uncertain nature of human existence.
Take Julius Caesar, for instance. The play examines the misinterpretation of motives, the instability of political systems, and the cascading effects of human error. Brutus acts not on evidence but on conjecture about Caesar’s potential tyranny, illustrating how decisions rooted in uncertainty can have irrevocable consequences. This is a universal theme, one that resonates in any era, as individuals and societies navigate the unknown.
Shakespeare also captures the inner turbulence of uncertainty through his characters. Whether it’s Hamlet wrestling with indecision, Lear misjudging the loyalty of those closest to him, or Macbeth grappling with fate and ambition, these figures are deeply human in their inability to achieve clarity or control. Their struggles serve as metaphors for our own lives, where unpredictability shapes not just outcomes but our very identities.
By using Shakespeare as a lens, I aim to connect timeless philosophical questions about uncertainty with the concrete realities of our modern world. His works offer a rich vocabulary for exploring these issues, one that transcends the constraints of time and place. Through Shakespeare, we can see that uncertainty is not merely a challenge to overcome but a space for human growth and a deeper understanding of what it means to be human.
Tell us more about the concept of 'Poetic Wisdom'
Poetic Wisdom originates from Italian philosopher and legal scholar, Giambattista Vico, who believed it was the earliest form of human understanding, predating rational thought and scientific reasoning. It is a mode of knowledge rooted in imagination, metaphor, and symbolic representation, which ancient societies used to make sense of the world. For Vico, poetic wisdom is not inferior to rational knowledge but rather foundational - an instinctive way of interpreting and organising reality through myth, ritual and storytelling.
I find this concept particularly compelling because it recognises that humans first approached the complexities of life emotionally and imaginatively before they could analyse them logically. Early societies personified natural forces as gods or spirits, creating narratives that not only explained but also emotionally resonated with their experiences. These myths and symbols, though not "factual" in a modern sense, contain deep truths about human values, fears, and aspirations.
In a way, poetic wisdom is about a language of insight into human worlds. It uses metaphor and storytelling to capture nuances and complexities that analytical reasoning might overlook. For example, ancient epics like The Iliad or The Aeneid are more than grand tales - they are repositories of collective wisdom, encapsulating cultural ideals, moral dilemmas, and the tensions of human existence.
What makes poetic wisdom enduringly relevant is its ability to address the unpredictable and uncertain aspects of life. When rational thought reaches its limits, it is often imagination and creativity that offer pathways forward. In this way, poetic wisdom continues to be vital - not just as an artifact of the past, but as a living, dynamic force that informs art, literature, law, philosophy, and science . It reminds us that understanding the world is not only a matter of reason but also of empathy, imagination, and the stories we tell ourselves.
Professor Zucca's Inaugural Lecture will take place on Thursday 28 November 2024, 6-8 pm at King's Building, Strand Campus.