Simon Critchley argues that philosophy, under the conditions of modernity, begins in the experience of religious disappointment, or the death of God. Positing nihilism as the central problem of European thought for the past 200 years, Critchley examines the failure of different responses to this problem, drawing on the work of Nietzsche, Heidegger, Adorno, and in particular Beckett, to provide a fresh response that could be described as very little . . . almost nothing. Simon Critchley was formerly Professor of Philosophy at the University of Essex and Director of the Centre of Theoretical Studies. He is currently Professor of Philosophy in the Graduate Faculty of New School University, New York. His publications include The Ethics of Deconstruction: Derrida and Levinas; Very Little, Almost Nothing: Death, Philosophy, Literature and On Humour. NB: Cuts out during Q & A.