PHILADELPHIA, PA — Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and former Vice President Mike Pence will participate in a three-day American Philosophical Society meeting in Philadelphia from Nov. 19-21, bringing national political, legal and scientific figures together for discussions on democracy, civic responsibility and the future of American society.
The meeting, organized around the nation’s 250th anniversary, will examine challenges and opportunities over the next 250 years through presentations spanning government, science, culture and the arts.
The American Philosophical Society, founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1743, will make the proceedings available to the public through a free livestream beginning Thursday, Nov. 19, at 1 p.m. Eastern at amphilsoc.org.
Sotomayor will participate in a discussion examining democracy, knowledge and civic responsibility, moderated by David Tatel, a fellow society member and former federal appellate judge.
Pence, who served as vice president from 2017 to 2021, is scheduled to participate in a fireside chat. The society did not specify the subject of his conversation in the announcement.
Other speakers include Carla Hayden, the 14th Librarian of Congress, and Nobel Prize-winning scientist Venki Ramakrishnan, who will examine the scientific question of whether humans can live forever.
Conductor and harpsichordist William Christie will also perform during the meeting, adding a musical component to the program.
The gathering brings together figures from institutions central to American government, scholarship and culture at a time when the country is marking 250 years since the Declaration of Independence.
“Though the American Philosophical Society is nearly 300 years old, it has always had its eyes on the future,” APS Chief Executive Officer Patrick Spero stated.
Spero described the meeting as an extension of Franklin’s original vision for an institution that promotes knowledge and facilitates discussion across disciplines.
Located near Independence Hall, the American Philosophical Society is the nation’s oldest learned society. Its elected membership includes researchers, scientists, civic leaders, artists and other figures recognized for contributions to their fields.
The organization holds biannual meetings that bring members together for presentations and discussions across academic and professional disciplines.
The November program will extend that tradition by examining questions about the future of democratic institutions, scientific discovery and cultural development.
The public can watch the meeting online without charge at amphilsoc.org beginning Nov. 19 at 1 p.m. Eastern.
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