The Great Experiment: Questioning Democracy, a Seminar Series | Democracy Without Truth SOLD OUT

BAM announces a new seminar series with Think Olio comprising intimate lectures and discussions on one of the thorniest issues of our time—the nature and execution of democracy.

The series includes close examination of vital historical texts on democracy and discussions of their contemporary relevancy led by scholars in the field. At a moment when there is renewed concern of the fracturing and challenges posed to our democracy, this series aims to examine the tensions that have been inherent since its inception and deconstruct the two ideas at its foundation—the Greek demos (“people”) and kratos (“power”)—and the relationship between the two.

The Great Experiment: Questioning Democracy, a Seminar Series with BAM and Think Olio includes four seminars; each contains three 15-minute lectures, followed by a 20-minute discussion and text analysis by lecturers and participants.

The series starts with Democracy Without Truth with Manuel Rodeiro of Baruch College. Does “truth” exist independently in the Realm of the Forms, as Plato argued, or is it “what our peers will, ceteris paribus, let us get away with saying,” as American philosopher Richard Rorty suggested? This is an issue many of us have grappled with on a daily basis. This seminar will explore how we navigate a middle path between Plato’s complete reliance on expertise at the expense of democratic decision-making, and allowing public opinions to dictate our policies.