Principal's Blog

The Principal considers the phenomenon of cheating, from old chess machines to modern sports stars, to students in exams, and examines how AI is taking this to another level.

Please see here the text of a speech delivered last night by the Principal at the British Chamber of Commerce for Italy Christmas Dinner, outlining twelve ways to happiness.

The Principal chooses 14 of his favourite paragraphs – a mixture of writings that sparkle with intelligence, warmth and wit.

The Principal investigates the tradition of the Cabinet of Curiosities, finding in it a new model of learning that fits with the accidental delights of twenty-first century technology.

The Principal considers the part played by shadows in ancient and modern culture, and explores how, growing up, children cast a lengthening shadow upon the world.     

In advance of the elections, the Principal considers the political landscape and the need for students to understand the subtleties of ideology and the values behind power.  

Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II

We are deeply saddened at the BSM to learn of the passing of Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II.

She was an icon for our age. Her death represents the end of an era. It is unlikely we will see someone of her stature gracing the world stage again.

May she rest in peace.

The Principal looks at the phenomenon of ice cream, explores its history and traditions, its association with Italy, and how no childhood is complete without it.

In his last blog of this academic year, the Principal recommends 5 books and 2 films that might divert you during the summer holidays.

The Principal identifies the elements of the Gothic, and in doing so develops a technique of thinking that can be adapted to almost any subject where complex definitions are required.

How we see the world reflects how we think about it. In his monthly blog, the Principal considers how data has become a necessary tool to understand the world, but only alongside an appreciation of human feelings and emotional intelligence. 

The Principal explores the tradition of duelling, relates a famous dispute involving Casanova, and considers how the practice has been transmuted into modern grudge matches, and mental battles fought against oneself.

In his March blog, the Principal explores the tradition of masks and their meaning, from ancient drama, through Carnevale, to the present pandemic.        

The Principal recalls the magic of maps from his childhood, reflects on the maps now available through modern technology, and speculates on a salvational future map that might allow us to escape the current situation.