The RSA [Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce] has a new strapline: “21st century enlightenment”.  This acknowledges our origins in the coffeehouses of 18th century London and the pioneering spirit of our founders, who were convinced of humanity’s capacity for principled progress.

The RSA’s challenge now is to revive and reimagine the sprit of the enlightenment for our 21st century context. But can we even agree on the core values of the original enlightenment?

There may be general consensus around ideas such as reason, progress, and liberty, which many would agree have shaped the world we live in today – and indeed our very sense of what it means to be human.  But the very phrase “enlightenment values” still has the potential to open up a firestorm of political and social debate.

The RSA brings together a panel of philosophical thinkers and writers to debate the importance of enlightenment values today. Which ideas should be salvaged, and championed anew? And which should be rejected or reimagined in the light of the challenges and opportunities of today’s globally interconnected world?

Speakers to include: Nigel Warburton, writer and philosopher; Robert Rowland Smith, lecturer, writer and philosopher; John Keane, professor of politics, University of Sydney.

Chair: Matthew Taylor, chief executive, RSA.

http://www.thersa.org/events/our-events/do-we-still-need-enlightenment-values

You can listen to the event live from 12.50pm at http://www.thersa.org/events/listen-live

Nigel Warburton will also be appearing at the British Humanist Association  summer day conference on Humanism, Philosophy and the Arts on the 26th June.