53rd Annual CSUF Philosophy Symposium

Deception and Distrust: The Dark Side of Discourse

Wednesday, April 16th, and Thursday, April 17th, 2025

Pollak Library, Cal State Fullerton

Philosophy Symposium Poster Archive

Symposium 2025 Poster

Get ready for an exciting and eye-opening two-day symposium where a group of leading philosophers will dive into one of the most important issues of our time: how the shift from traditional media (like TV, newspapers, and books) to the internet and social media (like Instagram, TikTok, and X) has transformed the way we talk to each other about sensitive political topics like race, gender, and religion.

This transition has shaken the foundations of how we communicate, and many believe that truth and trust have become the biggest casualties. Trust in our institutions is at an all-time low, and we’re constantly bombarded with misinformation and propaganda. It’s getting harder and harder to figure out what’s real and what’s fake, or to tell the difference between genuine sincerity and clever performance, human and AI.

During this symposium, our guest speakers will help us unravel these challenges. They'll explore:

• how these new modes of communication can facilitate new forms of deception;
• how they create deep division and distrust;
• the impact this distrust has on our communities and political conversations, and;
• what we might need to change to make sure these effects are positive in the long run.

As always, our very own undergraduate students will share their thoughts on the talks, followed by a lively Q&A session with a large audience of faculty, students, and members of the public. This event is free and open to all – please mark your calendars and come join the discourse!