CPH-PPE Flyleaf Books Talks: “Trust Me, Not Them” with Will Conner
April 2 @ 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Featuring Will Conner, Teaching Assistant Professor of Philosophy,Core Faculty in UNC’s Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Program
Have you ever been told not to trust what others might say about a topic before they even say it—for instance, when a politician claims, “The media will tell you I’m wrong, but they’re biased and untrustworthy”? This strategy attempts to preemptively discredit evidence before you’ve even encountered it. While preemptive warnings might sometimes be justified (after all, some sources really are untrustworthy), they are also used to shield false beliefs from legitimate criticism. This talk will investigate when it’s reasonable to trust someone who tells us to ignore future evidence, arguing that while these warnings can give us some reason to be skeptical of contrary views, these reasons can be outweighed if we discover independent evidence that the discredited source is actually reliable after all. Understanding this will help us learn how to better navigate our complex information environment where preemptive warnings are commonplace.
A partnership with UNC’s Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Program
In this lecture series, UNC Faculty members share their research and answer questions in 90 minutes or less. This spring’s Humanities in Action roster features speakers from UNC’s Philosophy, Politics, and Economics program—an interdisciplinary initiative that asks scholars to apply their insights to public issues. We’ll examine historical policy decisions, philosophical ruminations on weighty choices, and contemporary political trends. Lectures happen on select Wednesdays from 4:30 to 6 PM at Flyleaf Books.
For a more detailed description of each lecture, click on the title below:
- Respect and Loathing in American Democracy | Wednesday, February 5 | 4:30 – 6 PM
Examine the importance of respect, the tensions between justice and respect, and a theoretical path forward - Unpacking Justice: The LA Aqueduct and Chinatown | Wednesday, February 12 | 4:30 – 6 PM
Examine three kinds of justice: procedural, historical, and distributive; illustrated by the creation of the LA Aqueduct- subject of the film, Chinatown. - Making Public Choices: Consequentialism and Its Critics | Wednesday, February 19 | 4:30 – 6 PM
Consequentialism offers a simple and intuitive logic for thinking about the merits of both individual actions and social policies - Ethics and Public Policy Experiments | Wednesday, March 5 | 4:30 – 6 PM
Explore the potential of experiments to identify the causal impacts of policy interventions and discuss the ethical issues they raise. - Jane Addams on Democracy and Shared Responsibility | Wednesday, March 19 | 4:30 – 6 PM
Explore Jane Addams’ positions on labor and community organizing with revealing insights into how democracy works. - Trust Me, Not Them: A Critical Look | Wednesday, April 2 | 4:30 – 6 PM
Preemptive warnings might sometimes be justified but, they are also used to shield false beliefs from legitimate criticism... - Inexperience in Congress and Congressional Elections | Wednesday, April 16 | 4:30 – 6 PM
Explore the reasons behind the increased success of inexperienced candidates running for congressional office.
All UNC students and faculty can attend (live or virtual) for free. They can write human@unc.edu for registering online, or just show up with a One Card. Please spread the word.
If you are not a UNC student or faculty member, you can purchase a Series Pass to attend all 7 lectures for $60! Individual events are $10 each.
CAROLINA ALUMNI DISCOUNT:
Carolina Alumni members can attend each event for $5 each, or purchase a Series Pass for $30.
