Wednesday 11 April 2012, 6.30-8.00pm, followed by a drinks reception
The British Academy, 10-11 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AH

A panel discussion jointly organised by Demos and the British Academy

Why can it sometimes feel as though half the population is living in a different moral universe from you? Why is it so easy to see the flaws in others' arguments, and less in our own?

Jonathan Haidt explores these questions in his new book The Righteous Mind. He explains how evolution has helped shaped our moral senses – and why Conservatives are often more attuned to them than Liberals.

The Liberal appeal to reason, insists Haidt, is not enough on its own. Alongside justice and fairness, Liberals need to broaden their moral palate, learning to appreciate the value of loyalty, authority and the sacred. Conservatism’s ability to speak to this broader set of moral instincts explains its historical appeal.

Chair: Professor Lord Peter Hennessy FBA

Speakers:
Jonathan Haidt, Professor of social psychology, University of Virginia, and author of The Happiness Hypothesis and The Righteous Mind
Jon Cruddas, MP for Dagenham and Rainham
Brian Eno, musician, composer, record producer, singer, and visual artist
David Aaronovich, broadcaster, journalist
Rowenna Davis, author, journalist

What Can Liberals Learn From Conservatives About Human Nature?

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