Renowned intellectuals Cornel West and Robert P. George are advocating for a transformative approach in higher education, urging universities to foster environments where students can challenge and possibly overturn their preconceived notions through Socratic dialogue. This was the central theme of their discussion held at the University of Virginia’s Old Cabell Hall.
The event, titled “Disagree. Discuss. Understand,” was part of the UVA250 Presents series, coinciding with statewide celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. This initiative was supported by various university bodies including the Office of the President, UVA250, and the Karsh Institute of Democracy.
University President Scott S. Beardsley highlighted UVA’s unique connection to this anniversary, noting, “We think UVA is pretty uniquely positioned to celebrate that, as we are the only university founded by Founding Father Thomas Jefferson.” He further reflected on Jefferson’s belief that “the difference of opinion leads to inquiry, and inquiry leads to truth,” emphasizing the relevance of Socratic methods in fostering meaningful dialogue.
Moderated by Jacqueline Arthur-Montagne, the John L. Nau III Assistant Professor of the History and Principles of Democracy, the conversation with West and George delved into the critical necessity of embracing one’s own fallibility to genuinely seek truth.
Cornel West, holding the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Chair at Union Theological Seminary and a professor emeritus at Princeton University, stated, “We tell each student, ‘When you come in our class, you have come here to learn how to die,’ Because to learn how to die, you must have the courage to critically examine yourself.” He described this intellectual “death” as a pathway to growth and renewal.
Robert P. George, who serves as the McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and directs the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University, concurred with West. He articulated the concept of human fallibility, saying, “We all know the brute fact of our fallibility. We all know that right now, like everybody else on the face of the globe, we have some ideas in our heads that are false, that are incorrect, that aren’t right.”
George further elaborated on the importance of deeply understanding fallibility, stating, “But it’s one thing to acknowledge that fact, and it’s another thing to deeply understand it, to grasp its existential significance and meaning, and to embrace that. If we fail to take on board – deeply, existentially – the reality of human fallibility, our own fallibility, we’re never going to learn anything. We will simply be reinforcing what we already believe.”
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