Replacing Magical Thinking with Rational Discourse: How Can Freethinkers Help Restore Democracy

This program will be shared by representatives from all twenty-five national Ethical Societies and will feature music from the Washington Ethical Society Chorus, musicians Jaque DuPree and Barry Kornhauser, with presiders Vandra Thorburn, Elaine Durbach and Lyn Cox.

As we face this historical moment, when cult thinking and fake news have fueled an attempted insurrection, yet grassroots organizing gives us hope in the future of multiracial democracy, we reflect on the intellectual traditions supporting a free society. What do our shared values lead us to do now in order to cultivate a world in which we bring out the best in each other and ideas are allowed to flourish without threat of violence? Our panel of thinkers from within our movement will draw from philosophy, history, and Ethical Culture tradition. We’ll be joined by Dr. David Sprintzen, Professor Emeritus at Long Island University and Christian Hayden, Leader-in-Training at the Ethical Society of St. Louis. Music from the Washington Ethical Society Chorus, DuPree and Barry Kornhauser will round out the Platform. This program is part of our All-Societies Platform series, in which Ethical Culture societies from around the country will join together on Zoom to learn and grow together.

This talk will be presented via a Zoom session. You do not need a Zoom account to “attend” this virtual meeting.  If you would like to be a participant in the meeting, please email us at info@ncethicalsociety.org and provide your first and last name in your request.