ISSUED: 30 March 2015
MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Owens
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — The Shepherd University Common Reading Program and the George Washington Institute of Living Ethics are sponsoring a panel discussion titled “Impasse: Facing Ethical and Ideological Divides” on Wednesday, April 15, at 7 p.m. in the Robert C. Byrd Center for Legislative Studies auditorium.
Panelists will be Dr. Mark Cantrell, associate professor of English and George Washington Scholar of Living Ethics, Dr. Pamela Ellis, president of the Books Motivate Foundation, and Dr. Stephanie Slocum-Schaffer, associate professor of political science and chair of the Department of Political Science.
The panelists will present their ideas about the topic of negotiating ethical and ideological impasses. They will consider whether it is ethically viable to stake out a clearly defined set of values from which to negotiate differences, and what to do when one encounters others holding conflicting values.
The discussion will address the questions: Should one be willing to compromise in order to resolve conflict and reach consensus? And how should one respond to situations where such compromise itself seems morally wrong?
Panelists will briefly state their opening views on the topic and then lead a conversation with audience members about what’s at stake when we try to deal ethically with those with whom we might radically disagree.
The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Cantrell at 304-876-5528 or at mcantrel@shepherd.edu.
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