Fall Civil Discourse Series Welcomes Bestselling Author, New York Times Columnist David Brooks
Brooks will speak to the campus community Sept. 10 about his book, How to Know a Person
Contact: Lori Fogleman, 254-709-5959
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This fall, Baylor University continues its Conversation Series on Civil Discourse with a visit from David Brooks, one of the nation’s leading writers and commentators and author of How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen, who will speak to Baylor students, faculty and staff at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10, in Waco Hall.
The lecture is free, but a ticket is required for admission. Seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Faculty and staff can access free tickets online, while Baylor students can secure tickets through their online student account. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. NOTE: Baylor’s clear bag policy and other security protocols will be in use, so those attending the lecture should allow extra time for entry.
“Mr. Brooks is a best-selling author, columnist, commentator and member of the American Academy of the Arts and Sciences,” said Baylor Provost Nancy Brickhouse, Ph.D., whose office is joining with the Office of the President to bring Brooks to Baylor. “Given his knowledge of present-day politics and foreign affairs, we expect his visit will continue to foster the spirit of respect and understanding that undergirds President Livingstone’s Baylor Conversation Series on Civil Discourse.”
The Baylor Conversation Series on Civil Discourse, which began in January with a panel discussion on politics and faith, is a year-long series of campuswide conversations, trainings and presentations focused on civil dialogue. Even when individuals do not agree, civil discourse requires mutual respect and objectivity without hostility – demonstrating an appreciation for the experiences of others. During a contentious election season, the topic is especially important at Baylor as the University strives to be a marketplace of ideas and extend the love of Christ toward others.
Brooks is well known as an op-ed columnist for The New York Times, a contributing writer for The Atlantic and for his regular appearances on PBS Newshour. He is the author of The Second Mountain, The Road to Character, The Social Animal, Bobos in Paradise and On Paradise Drive. For his latest book, How to Know a Person, Brooks drew from a variety of worlds – psychology and neuroscience, theater, philosophy, history and education – to present “a welcoming, hopeful, integrated approach to human connection.”
“There is one skill that lies at the heart of any healthy person, family, school, community organization or society: the ability to see someone else deeply and make them feel seen – to accurately know another person, to let them feel valued, heard and understood,” Brooks said.
Brooks' book helps readers find a path to becoming more understanding and considerate toward others, while rediscovering the joy that comes from being seen.
A graduate of The University of Chicago, Brooks also has taught at Yale, Duke and The University of Chicago and has been awarded more than 30 honorary degrees from American colleges and universities. At The New York Times, he writes about political, social and cultural trends, the clash of ideas and the “always tricky” subject of moral formation.
“I’ve tried to present a reasonable voice in the midst of all the bitterness and strife of public life,” Brooks said in his Times biography. “I’ve tried to live out a philosophical tradition that has its roots in the thought of people like David Hume, Edmund Burke and Alexander Hamilton, a tradition of thought that sits in the tension between humility and audacity, fair-mindedness and compassion.”
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Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Learn more about Baylor University at www.baylor.edu.