Is Everything Relative?

A Debate on the Unity of Knowledge

In April 1998, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars hosted a symposium featuring Edward O. Wilson, Richard Rorty, and Paul R. Gross. During the afternoon, each panelist gave presentations similar to the essays previously printed in the Wilson Quarterly, and then answered questions from an audience of distinguished guests, including, tk and tk. Following the afternoon session, the panelists and invited guests dined at the Wilson Center, and there was another round of questions and answers.

Here we provide edited audio transcripts from each session, as well as the full text of each panelist's presentation. We invite comment on our "Consilience" debate, which can be sent to us at our e-mail address.

Remarks by E. O. Wilson

Remarks by Richard Rorty

Remarks by Paul R. Gross

The afternoon question-and-answer session

The evening session