Contributors

Simon Blackburn was the Bertrand Russell Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge and remains a Fellow of Trinity College. He is known for his appearances in the British media such as BBC Radio 4's The Moral Maze and his many publications which span popular and academic moral philosophy. His books include Spreading the Word (1984), The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy (1994), Ruling Passions: A Theory of Practical Reasoning (1998), Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy (2001), Being Good: A Short Introduction to Ethics (2002), Lust: The Seven Deadly Sins (2003), and Mirror, Mirror: The Uses and Abuses of Self-Love (2014).

Henry Blake is also the author of Horse Sense: How to Develop Your Horse's Intelligence and Thinking with Horses. He was an expert who spent more than 40 years working with horses and ran a riding holiday center in Wales.

Mindy Blake was the New Zealand pole vault champion (and its foremost gymnast) and was a Squadron Commander in the R.A.F. during the Battle of Britain. He retired from the R.A.F. in 1958 and later became the captain of Wentworth Golf Club.

Sandra Blakeslee is a science correspondent at the New York Times.

Michael Blastland was born in Glasgow. A journalist all his professional life, he started on weekly newspapers before moving to the BBC where he makes current affairs programmes for Radio 4, such as Analysis, More or Less and the historical series Why Did We Do That? He lives in Hertfordshire, often with his daughter Cait, less often and less quietly with his son Joe, when he's at home.

Dr Marieke Bigg holds a PhD in sociology from the University of Cambridge. Her work focused on the role of biological models and biologists in public deliberations on biotechnology and reproductive medicine. She is a trainee psychotherapist and a peer support coordinator at the mental health charity, Mind.

Susan Block is an American sex therapist, author, filmmaker, cable TV talk show host, and cultural commentator. She is perhaps best known for her television specials on HBO. She is the founder and director of The Dr. Susan Block Institute for the Erotic Arts & Sciences.

Jo Boaler is Professor of Mathematics Education at Stanford University and was recently chosen by the BBC as one of the eight people 'whose ideas are challenging the future of education'. She has previously taught at King's College, London, the University of Sussex and London comprehensive schools. She is the co-founder of Youcubed.org, which provides mathematics education resources to parents and teachers.

Matteo Bergamini MBE is a father of two and the founder of Shout Out UK, a multi-award winning social enterprise dedicated to teaching young people media literacy and combating online misinformation.

Jonathan Besser is a learning and development practitioner, a triathlete, and a managing consultant with Intrepid Leadership Consulting Ltd

Peter Betts was the Director of International Climate Change at Defra from 2008 to 2018 with overall responsibility for UK strategy on international climate policy and Lead Negotiator for the EU for six years, including at the Paris COP. After leaving the Civil Service in 2018 he was senior advisor to the Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency and advisor to the International Energy Agency. He was appointed CBE in 2010 and CB in 2020. Peter died of brain cancer in October 2023.

Ben Benton is a chef, food writer and co-host of the Go To Food Podcast. He has cooked at Rochelle Canteen and the Dock Kitchen and was head chef at LeCoq, before co-authoring Max's Sandwich Book and writing for Vittles, the Guardian, the Spectator and the Daily Telegraph.