America at 250: Stoic Virtue and the Future of the American Experiment
As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, this conference brings together historians, philosophers, legal scholars, and civic leaders to explore an animating question: what intellectual and moral resources can help sustain democratic self-government in an era of technological disruption, institutional distrust, and civic fragmentation?
The program draws on Stoic philosophy with its emphasis on reason, virtue, duty, and the limits of what lies within our control alongside constitutional theory and the practical demands of legislative judgment. Speakers will examine how these traditions speak to the present moment, and what they might offer citizens, policymakers, and institutions navigating the challenges of the digital age.
The conference is free and open to the public, and is designed to foster genuine intellectual exchange in an intimate setting.
Event Details
Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM EDT (Registration opens at 8:00 AM)
Location: Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 1300 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Capacity: ~80 participants
Registration & Logistics
Cost: Free and open to the public
Registration: Advance registration is required. Seating is limited to preserve an intimate atmosphere.
Refreshments: Coffee and light refreshments will be provided throughout the morning and afternoon.
Lunch: A 90-minute midday break is built into the schedule.
Featured Speakers
Dr. Sophia Rosenfeld Walter H. Annenberg Professor of History, University of Pennsylvania. Rosenfeld is one of the leading historians of democratic thought in the Western tradition, with books exploring the role of common sense, truth, and popular judgment in the history of democracy. Her work asks how ordinary citizens come to form political opinions — and what happens when the epistemic foundations of self-government erode.
Dr. Gregory Sadler President, ReasonIO; Faculty, Marquette University. A philosopher and public educator whose work focuses on making ancient philosophy practically useful in contemporary life, Sadler has spent decades teaching and writing on Stoicism, Aristotle, and applied ethics. He is among the most prolific public voices bringing classical philosophical thought to modern audiences, combining rigorous academic analysis with extensive public outreach.
Kermit Roosevelt III, J.D. David Berger Professor for the Administration of Justice, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. A constitutional law scholar whose work spans equal protection, conflict of laws, and the theory of constitutional interpretation, Roosevelt has also written accessibly on how Americans understand — and misunderstand — their Constitution. He brings both technical legal expertise and a commitment to civic education to questions of democratic legitimacy.
Dr. Massimo Pigliucci K.D. Irani Professor of Philosophy, The City College of New York. A philosopher of science and a prominent public intellectual, Pigliucci has written extensively on the intersection of science, rationality, and ethics. He is also a practicing Stoic and the author of several widely read books on Stoic philosophy, including How to Be a Stoic, which has helped introduce the tradition to a broad contemporary readership.
Delegate Cliff Hayes Virginia General Assembly. Chair of key committees on technology policy and government operations, Hayes brings a practitioner's perspective to the conference — examining how legislators navigate rapid technological change, institutional constraints, and the demands of democratic accountability from inside the machinery of government.
Ward Farnsworth, J.D. W. Page Keeton Chair in Law, University of Texas School of Law; former Dean (2012–2022). A legal scholar whose writing spans law, rhetoric, and philosophy, Farnsworth is the author of The Practicing Stoic (Godine, 2018) — one of the most widely read modern introductions to Stoic thought — as well as The Socratic Method (Godine, 2021) and a celebrated series on classical English rhetoric and style. He clerked for Justice Anthony M. Kennedy and Judge Richard A. Posner, and served as Legal Adviser to the Iran–United States Claims Tribunal in The Hague.
Schedule
8:00 AM — Checkin / Morning Coffee
9:00 – 12:00 (noon) Morning Sessions
12:00 – 1:30 PM — Lunch Break — 90 minutes
1:30 – 3:30 PM Afternoon Sessions
3:30 - 4:00 PM — Closing Remarks
Session titles and speaker assignments will be updated as the program is finalized.
This event is free and open to the public. Advance registration is required. For questions or accessibility accommodations, please contact the organizing team.
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This conference is presented by the Philadelphia Stoa, a Philadelphia-based philosophical society founded in 2018 and dedicated to the practice of Stoic virtue in contemporary life. The Stoa is grateful to its generous sponsors for making this event free and open to the public. For more information:
https://philadelphiastoa.org/
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