Interview with Mark Wrathall, Fan of U2 and Professor of Philosophy at Brigham Young

Mark Wrathall is a philosophy teacher at Brigham Young University. He is also a U2 fan. It was while riding his Harley through the desert that he came to the realization that Bono's lyrics would make good examples for his lessons  The idea caught on and soon his students were bringing their favorite U2 CDS to class.  This led to the idea of a book.  Several philosophy Professiors have written essays that make up the text of the book. Mark Wrathall is the editor.  He took time out of his schedule to talk to me about U2, Bono and the human soul.

1. Do you believe the world’s governments have a responsibility to foster higher thinking or the evolution of the human soul? If so, do you think that they have been successful or have they failed?

I think governments have a responsibility to secure an environment that lets people develop their thinking capacities or improve their souls. But I don’t want the government to dictate how this development or improvement is to be brought about. The interesting questions for our time are, first, to what degree governments are capable of fostering this sort of environment in a globalized, technological world culture. 

It could be that other actors and social forces are eclipsing the power of national governments to shape the intellectual and spiritual atmosphere. Second, we ought to be asking to what degree political actors can legitimately limit their focus to their own nations, to the exclusion of the rest of the world.

2. During the past decade there has been a rapid increase in the pagan/earth bound religions. Do you see this as evidence that the more traditional religions (Christianity, Judaism) are failing?