Is there such a thing as free speech? Is it the cause or the cure to our cultural isolationism and ideological polarization? Civil Discourse and Political Polarization, a new history and philosophy course offering, is being co-taught for the first time at AMU this fall by married professors Drs. Michael and Janice Breidenbach. Join us in exploring how we have come to this point in history in which the human power of discourse – arguably what makes us reasonable among all other animals – has come to be so utterly forsaken. How are we to forge ahead as a troubled nation in pursuit of its recovery – indeed, a recovery of our own rational nature? A guiding principle of the course concerns the relationship, both historical and philosophical-theological, between the ideals of “free speech” and the Roman Catholic Magisterium. We will analyze key historical moments, such as the founding of American colonies and Martin Luther’s contention with the Catholic Church, and assess the arguments of great thinkers including Plato, Aristotle, St. Thomas Aquinas, Jean Jacques Rousseau, and John Stuart Mill. Along the way, we will explore applied and experiential dimensions of civil discourse such as social media and the psychology of discourse.

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