Harmony in Diverse Perspectives: Honoring CJ Fearnley’s Comprehensivity

A comprehensivist perspective encourages us to understand the world holistically: in a way that encompasses our beliefs, values, feelings, and ethical principles. Looking beyond the confines of individual knowledge, it advocates bringing people together in order to better grasp the complexity of our civilization. CJ Fearnley—a philosopher, mathematician, software pioneer, and lifelong learner—was a leading proponent of the concept.

This joint production of the Ethical Society and the Greater Philadelphia Thinking Society celebrates the publication of his book, Collaborating for Comprehensivity. (Fearnley, who died in 2022, was a cherished contributor to the Thinking Society.)

Attendees are encouraged to prepare by reading these essays: “Mistake Mystique in Learning and in Life,” “Redressing the Crises of Ignorance,” and “The Whole Shebang: To Understand All and Put Everything Together.” The book is available from Amazon and in PDF.

We will meet at the Ethical Society building Auditorium and discuss a few of the book’s themes and how Collaborating for Comprehensivity can be utilized in our everyday intellectual pursuits.