Live Online Policy Forum 

# Competencies in Civil Discourse: Episode 4 

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Date and Time 

May 12, 2025 1 - 2 PM EDT 

Location 

Live Online 

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##### Featuring 

[![ErecSmith-cropped.jpg](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2023-02/ErecSmith-cropped.jpg?itok=p8wlcACq)](/people/erec-smith) 

[Erec Smith](/people/erec-smith)

Research Fellow, Cato Institute, and Cofounder, Free Black Thought

[ 

](https://x.com/Rhetors_of_York) 

![William Deresiewicz - cropped](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2025-04/Deresiewicz-cropped-circle.jpg?itok=wcNktZHQ) 

William Deresiewicz 

Matthew Strother Center for the Examined Life

![Cato Logo - Competencies ](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/aside_mobile/public/2025-01/RESIZED%20Competencies%20in%20Civil%20Discourse_Logo%20Final_600x338.jpg?itok=Y5PZBCrg) 

In this episode of *Competencies in Civil Discourse*, Erec Smith welcomes William Deresiewicz to explore the mission of the Matthew Strother Center for the Examined Life. Together, they unpack the role of intellectual courage, liberal education, and moral seriousness in reviving thoughtful dialogue in an age of ideological conformity.

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This work is licensed under a [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/).