The Spirit of Liberal Freedom and the Mission of the University

When: Thursday, December 3, 2026 Time: 11:00 am–12:15 pm Where: British & Irish Studies Room (Norlin Library M549, 5th Floor) RSVP here About the Lecture In this talk, Dr. Pittz develops a novel conception of spiritual freedom. Drawing from Nietzsche and his figure of the “free spirit,” as well as from thinkers as varied as Mill, Emerson, Goethe, Hesse, C. S. Lewis, and Tocqueville, the talk examines a tradition of individual freedom best described as spiritual. Spiritual freedom is an often overlooked category of liberal freedom, and it provides a path to meaning without a return to communal or traditional life. Dr. Pittz argues for both the possibility and the desirability of a free-spirited life. Citizens who are “free spirits” deliver great benefits to liberal democracies, primarily by combatting dogmatism and fanaticism and the putative authority of public opinion. Part of the mission of any good university should be to cultivate the virtues of spiritual freedom, and the talk will...