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The rise of AI has revived longstanding debates about the nature of art and the roles the mind, the body, and the soul play in the creative act. In some ways, moreover, AI seems to be changing the terms of those debates. David Hajdu, professor of journalism at Columbia and music critic of The Nation, asks, “What's wrong with slop?” On Wednesday, February 4, at 6 PM, Morningside welcomed David Hajdu (Columbia) for a dinner discussion of the nature of art.

Russian cultural history can be described as the conflict between the radical intellectuals, who imagined they had the ideological key to life and society, and the great writers, who viewed the world as far too complex for any single solution. It was the confrontation of certainty with wonder. The radical intelligentsia seized control in 1917, and from that time on, the great writers faced a totalitarian regime. The very extremity of their situation allowed them to address life’s ultimate questions—already the concern of the pre-revolutionary writers—in a new, illuminating way. On Thursday, September 11, at 6 p.m. Morningside and the Galileo Center at the Columbia Law School welcomed Gary Saul Morson (Northwestern) for a lecture on that dialogue of wonder and drawing a few lessons for intellectuals today.

Solidarity is a much-used, not to say over-used, slogan these days, both in Catholic Social Teaching and in popular activism. Does it have a clear meaning or is it just an emotive term? In this lecture, Rowan Williams argues that in the context of Christian theology, as St. Augustine's City of God suggests, it does indeed have a strong and distinctive meaning that challenges a lot of what we (Christians and others) assume about human life in society today, raising questions about the common good, common work, and the risks of looking for common enemies. On Monday, September 8, Morningside and the Earl Hall Center for Religious Life at Columbia welcomed the Rt. Rev. Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury, for a lecture on solidarity and the City of God in Columbia University’s Pulitzer Hall lecture room. Watch the talk’s live-stream: https://youtu.be/AigmPsVWSD8

In her talk, “Remembering America: The High Stakes of Memory and Moral Imagination in Civic Life,” Angel Adams Parham explores how narratives of the American past, especially those concerning slavery and racial segregation, influence civic unity. She proposes the "integrated blues mode" as a new way to approach American history, which acknowledges the difficult aspects of the past while working towards reconciliation. Parham contrasts this with the "nefarious origins" and "triumph of ideals" perspectives. She illustrates these ideas through local examples from St. Francisville, St. Augustine, and New Orleans, highlighting the importance of engaging with complex histories at a community level. Ultimately, Parham advocates for a nuanced historical understanding that embraces both the challenges and positive aspects of the past to foster civic friendship and a more inclusive American identity. The Morningside Institute hosted a two-day conference on April 4–5, 2025. On its first day, the conference examined some of the radical changes that Western societies are undergoing. On the second day, we explored in greater detail historical examples of how communities have navigated periods of intense cultural change and even devastation. For more information about Living Well at the End of a World, please visit https://www.morningsideinstitute.org/living-well.

In his talk, Antón Barba-Kay probes how the logics of the digital world—endless choice, algorithmic optimization, and a veneer of neutrality—quietly erode the habits of judgment and shared reality that democracy depends on. He contrasts two futures: one that doubles down on engineering our information streams for “better” engagement, and another that rebuilds the slow disciplines of literacy, critical reading, and face-to-face deliberation. Arguing that democratic life cannot be outsourced to technical fixes, Barba-Kay calls for cultivating resilient publics capable of resisting the seductive efficiencies of digital culture while reclaiming a richer, more responsible form of self-government. The Morningside Institute hosted a two-day conference on April 4–5, 2025. On its first day, the conference examined some of the radical changes that Western societies are undergoing. On the second day, we explored in greater detail historical examples of how communities have navigated periods of intense cultural change and even devastation. For more information about Living Well at the End of a World, please visit https://www.morningsideinstitute.org/living-well.

In his talk, “Demography, Religion, and the Eight-Billion Body Problem," Stephen Bullivant delves into the complex interplay between declining fertility rates, evolving religious landscapes, and shifting societal values, particularly in America. He explores how these interconnected trends are reshaping demographics, impacting the economy, and influencing geopolitics. Bullivant examines the rise of non-religious individuals, the role of immigration, and the significant challenges posed by an aging population, arguing that declining birth rates are linked to both decreasing religiosity and changes in values like patriotism and community involvement. While demographic shifts offer some predictability, Bullivant highlights the uncertain long-term consequences of these profound societal changes. The Morningside Institute hosted a two-day conference on April 4–5, 2025. On its first day, the conference examined some of the radical changes that Western societies are undergoing. On the second day, we explored in greater detail historical examples of how communities have navigated periods of intense cultural change and even devastation. For more information about Living Well at the End of a World, please visit https://www.morningsideinstitute.org/living-well.

In her talk at Living Well at the End of a World, Sarah Shortall examines the experiences of French Jesuit priests during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a period marked by anti-clericalism and exile, and how these crises led to a revolution in Catholic theology known as the Nouvelle Théologie. Forced out of France, the Jesuits found themselves on the island of Jersey, where they rethought the Church’s role in public life within a modern, secular context, with key figures like Henri de Lubac and Gaston Fessard leading a “spiritual resistance" to fascism during World War II. Shortall draws parallels to our current moment of transition, suggesting we can learn from the French Jesuits’ ability to adapt to modernity and maintain a critical distance from political entanglements. The Morningside Institute hosted a two-day conference on April 4–5, 2025. On its first day, the conference examined some of the radical changes that Western societies are undergoing. On the second day, we explored in greater detail historical examples of how communities have navigated periods of intense cultural change and even devastation. For more information about Living Well at the End of a World, please visit https://www.morningsideinstitute.org/living-well.

In this talk at Living Well at the End of a World, James Hankins draws parallels between our contemporary anxieties about civilizational decline and the late medieval Renaissance period, specifically the 14th and 15th centuries, which also faced profound institutional crises. He highlights the humanist movement, spearheaded by Petrarch, as a historical response that sought societal reform by fostering virtue and wisdom in leaders through a renewed emphasis on classical learning. Hankins argues that the Renaissance represented a radical re-centering of civilization, advocating for a meritocratic leadership grounded in moral excellence and a commitment to community welfare. The Morningside Institute hosted a two-day conference on April 4–5, 2025. On its first day, the conference examined some of the radical changes that Western societies are undergoing. On the second day, we explored in greater detail historical examples of how communities have navigated periods of intense cultural change and even devastation. For more information about Living Well at the End of a World, please visit https://www.morningsideinstitute.org/living-well.

In his talk at Living Well at the End of a World, Bishop Erik Varden discusses the end of our “internal world”—the microcosm of human life—at the deathbed and the monastic venture to confront death and live well in the face of its inevitable appearance. Using the vita of Antony the Great by St. Athanasius as his exemplar par excellence of the monastic life, he discusses the creative subversion with which monasticism has repeatedly revitalized western civilization. He finally urges modern man toward the prayerful purpose, patient perseverance, and vicarious love that can reignite communal hope and purpose. The Morningside Institute hosted a two-day conference on April 4–5, 2025. On its first day, the conference examined some of the radical changes that Western societies are undergoing. On the second day, we explored in greater detail historical examples of how communities have navigated periods of intense cultural change and even devastation. For more information about Living Well at the End of a World, please visit https://www.morningsideinstitute.org/living-well.

In his new book Believe, NY Times correspondent Ross Douthat offers a blueprint for thinking one's way from doubt to belief. Douthat argues that religious belief makes sense of the order of the cosmos and our place within it, illuminates the mystery of consciousness, and explains the persistent reality of encounters with the supernatural. On Monday, March 3, at 6:30 PM, Columbia’s Earl Hall Center for Religious Life and the Morningside Institute hosted Ross Douthat for a conversation with one of America’s most respected commentators on religion and public life. The event was held in-person at Faculty House and was streamed online. For more information about upcoming events, please visit https://www.morningsideinstitute.org.

The Metamorphoses is a work with an insistent modern resonance and relevance. In terms of Roman political commentary, socio-cultural implication, historical awareness, and psychological investigation, Ovid constructs a poem about change that is itself fundamentally slippery in its meanings, hard to deconstruct, and full of human eccentricity. The poem pulses with life, both ancient and modern, and this presentation offers a brief reading of that Ovidian pulse. On November 11, 2024, Morningside hosted Professor Gareth Williams of Columbia University for this lecture and discussion on Ovid’s masterful work. For more information about upcoming events, please visit https://www.morningsideinstitute.org.

According to ancient philosophers, all human beings want to be happy. But how can we achieve this?  In Books 3 and 4 of his dialogue “On the Greatest Good and Evil” (De finibus bonorum et malorum), Cicero and his interlocutor, the Stoic Cato, discuss what guarantees a person’s supreme happiness. Is it enough to be a morally good person (as the Stoics maintain) or do you also need some additional goods, such a health, wealth, or social standing? This ultimately raises the question of whether our happiness is entirely under our control, or whether external factors by necessity play a role. On September 24th, 2024, Morningside hosted Professor Katharina Volk of Columbia University for this discussion on Cicero and the grounds for happiness. For more information about upcoming events, please visit https://www.morningsideinstitute.org.

Tradition describes courage, moderation, justice, and prudence as the cardinal virtues (a list going back to Plato) and faith, hope, and charity as the theological virtues (a list going back to Saint Paul). Can we conceive of hope as a virtue, as a good quality for people to have, without a theological framework — without any notion of salvation? On Monday, February 10, 2024, the Morningside Institute hosted Dhananjay Jagannathan, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Columbia University, for a discussion on the possibility of secular hope. The seminar also explored questions including: What types of despair might be damaging to our individual and social lives? Is hope simply another name for a sunny or optimistic disposition? Is hope compatible with looking squarely at the truth about the present and likely predictions about the future? For more information about upcoming events, please visit https://www.morningsideinstitute.org.

Birth is one of the most fraught and polarized issues of our time, at the center of debates on abortion, gender, work, and medicine. But birth is not only an issue; it is a fundamental part of the human condition, and, alongside death, the most consequential event in human life. Yet it remains dramatically unexplored. Although we have long intellectual traditions of wrestling with mortality, few have ever heard of natality, the term political theorist Hannah Arendt used to describe birth’s active role in our lives. On February 7, 2024, Morningside held a talk with Jennifer Banks, Senior Executive Editor of Yale University Press, on her new book revealing a provocative counter tradition of birth from Nietzsche and Wollstonecraft to Arendt and Morrison. For more information about upcoming events, please visit https://www.morningsideinstitute.org.

On October 9, 2023 the Morningside Institute and the Galileo Center at Columbia Law School hosted Joshua Katz (AEI) for the last lecture in our series Language Rights and Wrongs. This series explores the relationship between world and word, honing in on ancient texts, namely Homer, Plato, and the Bible. This evening's conversation was not about the Constitution of the United States per se but rather the things that interest comparative linguists when they read texts like Homer's Iliad. These peculiarities are related to larger and increasingly pressing issues of how to interpret words and phrases from decades, centuries, and millennia ago. For more information about upcoming events, please visit https://www.morningsideinstitute.org.