康奈尔·韦斯特，罗伯特·P. George discuss the future of liberal education
罗伯特·P. George and Cornel West, two leading public intellectuals with strikingly differing political opinions and philosophical views, discussed their enduring friendship and shared commitment to the values inherent to a liberal arts education.
George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University, spoke live with West, a leading philosopher, author, activist and social critic, during a virtual discussion about the future of liberal education with the Skidmore community.
3月23日的活动是该活动的一部分 伯里克利荣誉论坛’s ongoing Policy Debate series, which brings distinguished thinkers, writers and practitioners to Skidmore to debate and discuss a philosophical, political or ethical 公众非常关注的话题.
Despite differences of opinion on important political and social issues, George and West are close friends and staunch supporters of the continuing relevance of a liberal 当代社会的艺术教育.
“One of the things that brings Cornel and me together — that brought us together originally and keeps us working together — is a concern for liberal arts education and the future 乔治说. Liberal arts educations are “soul shaping. 他们教 我们要追求真理，热爱真理. 他们教 us to be lifelong learners; they equip us with certain qualities of mind and soul.”
Throughout the evening, George and West discussed their differing philosophical and political views and emphasized the importance of dialogue. 他们回答了很多问题 of questions on topics ranging from religion to favorite books and George’s love for 班卓琴. 马克·C总裁. Conner and Associate Professor of Political Science Flagg 泰勒主持了讨论.
Although the conversation was filled with references to philosophical treatises, works of literature and speeches, the tone remained light, with the two longtime friends 经常互相开玩笑.
“非常感谢你，罗布兄弟. It's just always a blessing to take in what you have to say, always a blessing to be able to let the world know that my love for you is not reducible to your politics — even when you're wrong,” West said, drawing laughter 从乔治. “我们互相学习. Our friendship cuts so much deeper than any 公共政策分歧.”
Both bemoaned increasingly political and social tribalization in the country and stressed the importance of advancing strong arguments while taking positions on important issues.
“In a liberal education, the question has become how do we attempt to get people out of their egos, out of their tribes, out of their silos and out of their narrowness and broadening — not by erasing their roots, but by building on the best of the roots for the routes that (they) take,” West said.
West and George said the purpose of dialogue is not to refute another’s position but 一点点走向真理.
“I don't think of how do I get Cornel to think like me — that's just not my goal. 那不是我的工作. It’s not even what I want because I could be wrong,” George said. “We need to model the love of truth over the love of one's own opinions.”
George has served as chairman of the U.S. 委员会 International Religious Freedom and as a member of the President’s Council on Bioethics and the U.S. 委员会 公民权利. 他还曾担任美国外交部长.S. member of UNESCO’s World 委员会 the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology. 他的荣誉包括.S. 总统 Citizens Medal, the Honorific Medal for the Defense of Human Rights of the Republic of Poland and Princeton’s President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching.
韦斯特已经出版了20多本书. Professor emeritus at Princeton University, West recently announced that he would leave his position as professor of the practice of public philosophy at Harvard University and return to Union Theological Seminary, where he started his teaching career and will hold the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Chair.
The event was sponsored by the 伯里克利荣誉论坛 and the Office of the President and made possible through a gift from Janice Billingsley ’68.
