Today’s public square in western societies is increasingly governed by highly moralized debates that often demand conformity to deeply amoral claims. These circumstances are made possible by a dominance of emotion over rationality or what Karl Popper identifies as a ‘revolt against reason’. Neither truth nor the argument is evaluated; rather, the person who brings the argument forward is judged. As such, public discussion becomes confined to a narrow spectrum of acceptable opinions.
On 16 July 2026 at 1400 UTC, Prof. Dr Ralf B. Bergmann, Professor of Physics at the University of Bremen, will trace the ideological roots of this attack on freedom of thought that has created a great deal of polarization in many societies. He affirms that as Christians we have the resources to strengthen freedom and stability of a society, based on Jesus’ saying, ‘The truth will set you free’. Being this kind of salt for a whole society requires regaining intellectual, cultural, and social leadership, both on an individual as well as a societal level. His presentation is based on his 2021 book, Die freie Gesellschaft und ihre Feinde, which is a nod to Karl Popper’s work, The Open Society and Its Enemies.
Prof. Dr. Ralf B. Bergmann has been involved in semiconductor physics and technology, photovoltaics and optical technologies at several research institutions in Germany and Australia and has also worked in industrial research. Since 2008, he is a Professor at the University of Bremen as well as head of a research institute and works on optical technologies and optoelectronics. Beyond his research, he is defending the rationality and relevance of Christian faith, with respect to the joint concerns of physics, philosophy, and theology as well as modern western society and has published a number of resources along these lines e.g. ‘Can we overcome a polarized society?‘ or ‘God and the explanation of the world‘.
