Event

Monday 28 June, 19:00

Martha Nussbaum. Liberty of Conscience.

Against fanaticism

Presented by Josep Joan Moreso, Vice-chancellor of the Pompeu Fabra University of Barcelona and professor of Philosophy of Law.

Recent controversy over the presence of religious symbols in schools or the use of the veil has highlighted how difficult it is for contemporary democracies to guarantee equality and liberty of conscience for all citizens. With growing social diversity, conflict over the distribution of freedoms in public spaces is exacerbated and the pre-eminence of religious majorities is being questioned. While it is generally accepted that a democracy that is truly respectful of pluralism must make an effort to preserve the right to equality and respect for other religious beliefs, the question is how to achieve these difficult balancing acts on an everyday basis. Martha Nussbaum proposes that democracies should renew their commitment to a long tradition of thought that is based on liberty of conscience and that has its origins in North America and Europe as well as in the more liberal tradition of Islam.