René Girard: The Catholic thinker influencing Silicon Valley

René Girard was a French intellectual working at Stanford University in San Francisco in the 70s and 80s who came up with some compelling theories about human behaviour and the origin of religion. A decade after his death, he is also being quoted by Silicon Valley tech entrepreneurs such as Peter Thiel and Vice-President JD Vance.

Why is Girard having such a moment? What is it about his theories of mimetic desire and scapegoating that resonate right now? And is there a key Christian message being missed out by his new devotees? Rev Giles Fraser has a Girard 101. He's in a discussion with his Girard's friend and biographer Cynthia Haven, theologian Michael Kirwan SJ from Trinity College Dublin and philosopher Dr Alexander Douglas, author of 'Against Identity: The Wisdom of Escaping the Self'

Thanks to Sam Sorich, director of 'Things Hidden: the life and legacy of René Girard' and Professor Robert Pogue Harrison for use of Stanford Radio archive.

Presenter: Giles Fraser
Studio Manager; Mark Ward
Asst Producer: Charlie Filmer-Court
Producer: Catherine Murray
Editor Tim Pemberton