Kwame Anthony Appiah on Learning the Importance of Conversation
686 views · Published 1 July 2014 · 1:49 · Indexed 9 October 2026
Channel: The Aspen Institute · 2014 · Nonprofits & Activism
There's a pervasive (and therefore familiar) form of relativism in the culture of educated Americans. Many people believe that conversation across groups about ethical questions will quickly reach an impasse because each culture has different and incompatible ethical starting points from all the others. Cross-cultural conversation is pointless, then, because it is just a route to the discovery of irreconcilable differences. Professor Kwame Anthony Appiah maintains that both the premise of this argument — that disagreement is inevitable — and the conclusion — that the conversation is therefore pointless — are mistaken. This is good news. First, as many people have reported, cross-cultural encounters are among the most rewarding experiences in the world. And second because without it, we have little chance of solving the many global problems that face us. Featuring: Kwame Anthony Appiah The Aspen Ideas Festival is the nation's premier, public gathering place for leaders from around the globe and across many disciplines to engage in deep and inquisitive discussion of the ideas and issues that both shape our lives and challenge our times. Learn more at: http://www.aspenideas.org/ Follow us on: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/aspenideas Twitter https://twitter.com/aspenideas LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/channels/aspenideas You can also follow the Aspen Institute: Instagram http://instagram.com/aspeninstitute Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AspenInstitute Twitter https://twitter.com/aspeninstitute LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-aspen-institute Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/aspeninstitute Get regular updates from the Ideas Festival: http://www.aspenideas.org/subscribe-newsletter
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