Authority, Respect and Human Potential in the 21st Century

Discussion exploring themes of authority and human potential, examining how they are linked to erosion of respect in modern society.

What is meant by authority, respect and human potential today? Since the Enlightenment the idea of the subject has had a central place in the way that we think about ourselves. This understanding of what it is to be human rests on the idea that we are active agents who do things for reasons and shape the world to our own ends. Yet in recent years this view of human nature has become deeply unpopular and we are encouraged to think of ourselves as objects at the mercy of outside forces. At the same time something else seems to be contributing to this historical moment; something that has been left unexplored by many thinkers. This is the erosion of respect for authority, reflected in modern cynicism about politics and a deep distrust of experts. How closely connected are these changes and how are we to understand them?

This discussion will explore the themes of authority and human potential, examining how they are linked to the erosion of respect in modern society.

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