Benedict Rattigan

Benedict Rattigan, born Benedict Grant Noakes in 1965, is an English writer and philosopher. His theory of dynamic symmetry has been recognized by Oxford University scientist Professor Denis Noble as a profound insight into the nature of the Universe. This theory was the subject of a symposium at the British Museum titled 'The Language of Symmetry', which involved ten leading Oxford University professors, and also a conference at Balliol College. A book on this subject was published by Routledge in 2023. From 1994 to 2004, Rattigan worked as a documentary filmmaker, producing films for prominent networks such as the BBC, NBC, C4, and Granada Television. In 2004, he established The Schweitzer Institute for Environmental Ethics, where he continues to serve as Director. Since 2024, the Institute has been affiliated with Peterhouse at the University of Cambridge. Rattigan received his education at Eton College from 1979 to 1983 and at Oxford University from 1992 to 1993, where he studied philosophy. He is the son of the Royal portrait painter Michael Noakes and the writer and academic Dr. Vivien Noakes. In 2015, he legally adopted the surname Rattigan. He is acquainted with Paul McCartney and Heather Mills. His phone was reportedly hacked on multiple occasions by Glenn Mulcaire during the period of the McCartneys' divorce in 2006. In April 2012, he was among 46 claimants who initiated legal action for compensation against Mulcaire and News International.