Philip Pullman is one of Englands most cherished and celebrated writers. Author of the popular His Dark Materials series of books (later adapted into a film, The Golden Compass (2007), and a 2019 HBO/BBC drama series), his novels are dripping with philosophical and religious themes.
Sometimes posited as a kind of atheist answer to C.S. Lewis, Pullman’s fantasy is a far cry from the Christian world of Narnia. Critiquing Lewis’ obsession with childhood innocence, Pullman intentionally celebrates maturity, and critiques organised religious structures.
The mysterious “dust” of his novels is also connected to consciousness, and more fully fleshed out in The Book of Dust, described as not a sequel or prequel but an “equel” to His Dark Materials. The influence of ideas in the philosophy of mind to construct this important motif of his series is clear, provides a philosophical tone to the story.
Philip joins me to discuss his opposition to Lewis (whose ideas he describes as a “filthy lie”), the musicality of fiction, how we might have improved the story of Jesus, and the influence of atheism and philosophy over his writing.
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TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - C.S. Lewis Tells Filthy Lies
5:12 - Childhood Innocence is Overrated
10:09 - Religion in Philip’s Novels
20:27 - How to Improve the Story of Jesus and the Gospels
26:44 - The Connection Between Music and Fiction
35:25 - Books vs Movies
42:39 - Consciousness in The Book of Dust
49:06 - Should Novelists Go Back and Update Their Books?
55:12 - The Omniscient Narrator
59:13 - How Movies Changed Novels
01:04:50 - Why Subtitles Are So Popular Now
01:09:57 - The Role of Philosophy in Philip’s Novels
01:12:28 - Philip’s Writing Process
01:19:12 - The Fear of AI in Creative Industries
