The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth

Disinformation, trolling, conspiracies, and campus intolerance are all recent additions to our daily vocabulary that appear to have little in common. But together, they are driving an epistemic crisis: a multi-front challenge to America’s ability to distinguish fact from fiction and elevate truth above falsehood. In his new book, “The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth,” Brookings Senior Fellow Jonathan Rauch uses parallel 18th-century developments of liberal democracy and science to explain what he calls the “Constitution of Knowledge”—our social system for turning disagreement into truth.

Rauch will debut his book at Brookings and will be joined by journalist Anne Applebaum and author Neal Stephenson for a discussion moderated by Brookings Vice President Darrell West. The speakers will explore today’s war on facts and explain how every American can defend objective truth. Viewers can submit questions for speakers by emailing events@brookings.edu or via Twitter at @BrookingsGov by using #ConstitutionOfKnowledge. Hosted by the Brookings Institution.

Tuesday, June 22   1 to 2 p.m.