Philosophical café: The evolution of morality

Two great philosophic minds unpack the complexities of moral progress in an engaging conversation with the audience.

The new 90-minute format, meant to be an interactive “Philosophical Café” inspired by Socrates’ democratic discussion forums, invites the audience to enter in a dialogue with the speakers.

Together we explore what drives humanity to become better? Is moral progress inevitable, or could it unravel just as easily? Two of today’s most brilliant philosophers, Maarten Boudry and Hanno Sauer, dive deep into the nature of morality, how it’s evolved over centuries, and what it means for the future of our society.

This talk isn’t meant to be a history lesson but a bold exploration of how morality has united and divided societies, influenced by our evolutionary past and the cultural forces shaping today’s heated debates. In a world increasingly fractioned by discussions about "woke" versus "anti-woke," what lies beyond the noise?

From the interplay between material and moral progress to the timeless question of universal ethical standards, this promises to be an especially thought-provoking evening.

speaker

Hanno Sauer is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Utrecht University where he teaches ethics, metaethics and political philosophy. His book ‘The Invention of Good and Evil - A World History of Morality’ was named one of the best non-fiction books of 2024 by both The New Yorker and The Economist. He is a member of the Ethics Institute and is currently the Principal Investigator in the ERC-funded research project ‘The Enemy of the Good - Towards a Theory of Moral Progress’ which develops a systematic account of moral change and progress.

speaker

Maarten Boudry is a philosopher of science and the first holder of the Etienne Vermeersch Chair of Critical Thinking at Ghent University. He published over 50 papers in academic journals on pseudoscience, cultural evolution, conspiracy theories, climate policy, science and religion, reasoning fallacies, metaphors in science, and evolutionary epistemology. Together with Massimo Pigliucci, he edited the collections ‘Science Unlimited? On the Challenges of Scientism’ (2018) and ‘Philosophy of Pseudoscience. Reconsidering the Demarcation Problem (2013).’ He also wrote six books in Dutch on science and philosophy for a general audience and has written essays for Quillette, The Independent, The New York Times (The Stone), Areo Magazine, Le Point, Die Welt, and other newspapers.

moderator

Laurent de Sutter is an award-winning author and publisher whose books have been translated into 15 languages. He runs the "Theory Redux" book series with Polity Press and "Perspectives Critiques" with Presses Universitaires de France. He also is a professor of Legal Theory at Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Sciences-Po Paris. He recently published "Superweak: Thinking in the 21st Century” (Polity, 2025).

Philosophical café: The evolution of morality

Hanno Sauer

Maarten Boudry

Laurent de Sutter

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Philosophical café: The evolution of morality

Hanno Sauer

Maarten Boudry

Laurent de Sutter

Become a member

Reach us

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