Philosophical, political, and intellectual disagreements are part of the human condition. Approaching our differences with an open mind and willingness to embrace civil discourse allows us to build bridges rather than create ideologic chasms between people.
That was a major takeaway at Thursday night’s premier annual Salmon P. Chase Center event, the Signature Debate on Civil Thought, with guest speakers Robert P. George and Cornel West. The title of the conversation, “Truth Seeking and Citizenship in American Universities,” was a launching point for discourse about civility in society as a whole.
“Last night’s event reflected the deep mutual respect between longtime friends,” said Lee Strang, executive director of the Chase Center. “These two great public intellectuals exemplified their key message: that civil discourse and a willingness to truly listen to those who may not share our personal views is crucial to the future of higher education and our society.”
Nearly 200 students, faculty, and friends of the Chase Center attended the dialogue between the two respected speakers.
George said institutions such as the Chase Center are playing an important role in improving civic relations in this country.
“What we’re doing right (in higher education) are building institutions like the Salmon P. Chase Center, which are built on a recognition that we need to improve the quality of civic discourse in order to contribute to the success, to the flourishing, to the renewal of our constitutional republican democracy.”
West said he would not share the kind of friendship with George that the two have if it was not for a willingness to have dialogue and debate with an open mind and open heart.
“One of the reasons why you need these kinds of programs, even as we engage in our various kinds of ideological and political conflicts and disagreements, is that we’re trying to convince each other that integrity is more important than just cheap popularity,” West said. “That decency is more important than just sparking personality that generates more money and status.”
George is a highly regarded American legal scholar, political philosopher, and public intellectual. He serves as the sixth McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and Director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University.
West is the current holder of the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Chair at Union Theological Seminary. He is dedicated to engaging diverse audiences and advancing the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., with a focus on truth-telling and the pursuit of love and justice.
George said a significant problem today in the realm of civic discourser is that too many people don’t see their ideas as infallibile and slip into a dogmatic belief that they are entirely correct whole others are wrong in their beliefs.
“Our objective, if we have that intellectual humility, is not really to change the other guy’s mind,” George said. “The more fundamental goal is to try to get at the truth of things. To listen in a truth-seeking spirt, not just trying to persuade, but open to the possibility that I have something to learn as well as something to, perhaps, teach.”
West said that, to seek the truth, we must be willing to talk and to listen to others.
“I don’t think one can be a truth-seeker without being dialogical… No truth-seeking can take place solely all by yourself,” West said.
The Signature Debate was just part of the Chase Center’s ongoing commitment to offering diverse and thought-provoking programming designed to inform, inspire, and engage students and audiences to become active citizens in their education in American society, Strang said.
“An important part of the Chase Center’s mission is to nurture the skills, habits, and dispositions of mind that students need to reach their own informed conclusions on matters of social and political importance,” Strang said. “The example and messages that Dr. Geroge and Dr. West presented us with Thursday night showed a positive path for all of us to – together – pursue the truth as civic friends.”