Lisa VanDamme

Edmond Rostand is best known for Cyrano de Bergerac, his immortal play about the swashbuckling romantic with an extreme devotion to principle and an exaggerated nose. Rostand had grand ambitions for this masterwork. He hoped that with its heroic spirit and lyrical French verse, it would reintroduce beauty and idealism to the French stage, and more broadly, to French culture—and he succeeded beyond his wildest dreams.

In this talk, Lisa VanDamme will describe how this play inspired her to take a journey that included the discovery of lesser-known and equally beautiful plays and poems, a pilgrimage to Rostand’s exquisite home in the Basque country of France, and a renewed commitment to carrying Rostand’s torch of idealism forward and into our world today.

Isaac Morehouse

One of the most powerful ways to manifest your beliefs in the world is by starting a company. But it’s no easy task. The major hurdles aren’t lack of money or ideas but doubts and fears.

Isaac Morehouse has done it a few times and has the scars to prove it. He’ll share an inside look into what it takes to go from idea to reality and growth, who should and shouldn’t try a startup, the best first steps, and pitfalls to avoid. Whether you’re interested in launching a startup, already are involved in one, or might be interested in investing in one, this will be a fascinating peek into the reality behind the hype and the great potential and challenges in this sphere of life.

Andrew Bernstein

Thinkers such as Thales, Socrates, Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, John Locke, and Ayn Rand advanced our knowledge of fundamental issues. For example, Thales reasoned that the teeming diversity of nature could be explained by a small number of principles. Socrates recognized the importance of rigorously defining key moral concepts. Aristotle invented the sciences of logic and biology. Thomas Aquinas reintroduced Aristotle’s rational philosophy in a medieval culture dominated by religion. John Locke emphasized that all knowledge originates in observation and taught that individuals have an unalienable right to their own lives and property. Ayn Rand created a complete philosophic system glorifying man’s mind and validating the objectivity of knowledge.

These great thinkers are towering heroes of philosophy. But what is a hero? What’s the value of understanding the characteristics of a hero? And how can we emulate heroes? In this talk, Andrew Bernstein will address such questions.

Timothy Sandefur

At the dawn of the 20th century, John Singer Sargent was among the world’s most admired painters. The most sought-after portraitist in Europe and America, he painted such renowned figures as Theodore Roosevelt, John D. Rockefeller, and Henry James and set a new standard for elegance.

Yet he was also a cutting-edge innovator whose painting Madame X sparked a national scandal when it was displayed in Paris. Within a few years of his death, however, leading intellectuals had come to view Sargent as a contemptible relic of an unsophisticated age.

In this presentation, Timothy Sandefur will take a new look at Sargent’s art and discuss why Sargent came to be despised for his virtues—and why his art is experiencing a long-overdue revival today.

Jon Hersey

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” wrote the philosopher George Santayana. Today, though, history—the story of the past—is widely regarded as a means of inducing sleep. Among those few who enjoy history, many regard it as a mere pastime with little or no power to impact their lives.

That’s unfortunate because, with the proper approach, history can be a fountain of spiritual fuel, a guide for achieving the good life, and a means to continue the upward trajectory of mankind.

History is the laboratory of humanity, and in this talk, Jon Hersey will discuss how to use it to promote personal flourishing and defend political freedom.

David Crawford

Like romantic love, music is something many people value, yet fail to pursue in a thoughtful, intentional way. In this talk, David Crawford will home in on how music affects our souls and how we can approach it in ways that add greater meaning and joy to our lives.

When you better understand how music affects your soul, and thus your life, you can make better decisions about how to invest your time and energy in music and the musical arts. You can explore music more effectively, listen more actively, notice more aspects, and gain more each time you listen. You can engage more knowledgeably, and thus more enjoyably, in playing an instrument, singing, or dancing—whether as a newbie or a seasoned artist.

Come expand your understanding of the nature and role of music in life. You’ll enjoy richer emotions, stronger memories, and closer connections with people you love.

Rajshree Agarwal

A healthy, successful life, like a healthy, successful business, requires a central purpose—a central aim that animates and motivates you, a productive purpose that pays the bills and helps you to profit and thrive.

In this session, Rajshree Agarwal will present an approach to your work-life called My Enterprise (ME) Inc. Using methods and tools of successful business leaders, ME Inc. positions you as the CEO of your life, helps you discover or further develop your “why”—or the central purpose in life— and helps you leverage your core skills and capabilities, the “how.”

Come and learn or deepen your understanding of the importance of a central purpose and how to leverage it to enhance your life. You’ll expand your knowledge of how to pursue such a purpose creatively by marshaling your assets and developing win-win relationships.

Jason Crawford

Did deep ideas in science and philosophy create the modern world, or were they merely incidental? Nassim Taleb argues that the Industrial Revolution was created by tinkerers, not scientists; and famouusly it has been said that “thermodynamics owes more to the steam engine than the steam engine owes to thermodynamics.”

What was the true role of science—and by implication, of the mind—in the birth of the industrial age?

In this talk, Jason Crawford will explore the links between science and invention through historical examples, from the steam engine to the conquest of infectious diseases, showing the influence of the Scientific Revolution in creating our modern standard of living. His discussion will bolster your understanding of the roles of science and industry in human flourishing.

C. Bradley Thompson and Timothy Sandefur

In his new book America’s Revolutionary Mind, C. Bradley Thompson examines the philosophical essentials of the American Revolution—looking at the founding of the nation not in terms of historical incidents but as the culmination of a series of insights about the nature of mankind and of the proper role of government.

This “new moral history” opens the door for a better grasp of the nation’s constitutional system—and a better refutation of those who argue that America was founded on the basis of slavery and inequality.

In this session, Thompson sits down with Timothy Sandefur, author of The Conscience of the Constitution, for a conversation about America’s fundamental principles and how they may—or may not—impact the future.

Craig Biddle

We are beings of body and mind, matter and spirit. To live a fully integrated, wonderful life, we must attend to our physical and psychological needs. But whereas information regarding the care of our bodies abounds, information about how to care for our minds and souls is harder to come by—and often harmfully wrong.

Religion, for instance, calls for faith in a higher power and for letting that higher power somehow guide us in life. But faith is not a means of knowledge, and there’s no evidence for such a higher power. Secular philosophies often are equally problematic—rejecting key features on which spirituality depends, such as consciousness, free will, or the self.

In this presentation, Craig Biddle will survey traditional views of spirituality, highlight ways in which they are problematic or detrimental, and offer a secular approach to this crucial aspect of human flourishing.

Come gain a deeper understanding of the nature of your mind and soul, how to care for them, and how to live a spiritually rich and meaningful life.

Directed by Lisa VanDamme

Chad Morris

Tim White

Jon Wos

9:00–9:15 AM: Opening Remarks & Announcements

9:15–10:15 AM: Do Process: A Supersystem for Thriving (Biddle)

10:15–10:30 AM: Break

10:30–11:30 AM: Edmond Rostand: Soul of a Romantic, Smuggler of the Ideal: Part 1 (VanDamme)

11:30–1:15 PM: Lunch (on your own—great restaurants in hotel & area)

1:15–2:15 PM: Designing Your Life around a Central Purpose (Agarwal)

2:15–2:30 PM: Break

2:30–3:30 PM: Music and Life (D. Crawford)

3:30–4:00 PM: Break

4:00–5:00 PM: Breakout sessions

5:00–7:30 PM: Dinner (on your own—great restaurants in hotel & area)

7:30–9:00 PM: To Be Announced

9:00–9:15 AM: Opening Remarks & Announcements

9:15–10:15 AM: Ins and Outs of Start-Ups (Morehouse)

10:15–10:30 AM: Break

10:30–11:30 AM: Edmond Rostand: Soul of a Romantic, Smuggler of the Ideal: Part 2 (VanDamme)

11:30–1:15 PM: Lunch (on your own)

1:15–2:15 PM: History: Who Needs It (Hersey)

2:15–2:30 PM: Break

2:30–3:30 PM: To Be Announced

3:30–4:00 PM: Break

4:00–5:00 PM: Breakout sessions

5:00–7:30 PM: Dinner (on your own)

9:00–9:15 AM: Opening Remarks & Announcements

9:15–10:15 AM: A Brush with John Singer Sargent (Sandefur)

10:15–10:30 AM: Break

10:30–11:30 AM: The Scientific and Industrial Revolutions: What’s the Connection? (J. Crawford)

11:30–1:15 PM: Lunch (on your own)

1:15–2:15 PM: Heroes of Philosophy (Bernstein)

2:15–2:30 PM: Break

2:30–3:30 PM: America’s Revolutionary Ideas: Their History and Possible Future (Thompson and Sandefur)

3:30–4:00 PM: Break

4:00–5:00 PM: Secular Spirituality: The Nature and Nurture of Your Mind and Soul (Biddle)

5:00–6:30 PM: Break

6:30–10:00 PM: Closing Banquet and Dance

A great way to meet other attendees is to join TOS-Con 2021 on Facebook. Simply click “Join,” say hi, and enjoy a warm welcome. You can meet other attendees, find roommates, ask questions, post suggestions, and discover fun things to do in the Boston area.

The conference will be held at the Boston Marriott Newton, where TOS-Con’s group rates on guest rooms start at $149 per night. We recommend staying at the Marriott, as that’s where all the action will be. The number of discounted rooms is limited, so book your room early. TOS-Con’s discounted rates apply for three days before and after the conference as well (based on availability), so if you’d like to arrive early or stay in the area for a few additional days, you can do so on the cheap.

Absolutely! Attendees are welcome to share rooms and split costs. If you’d like to find a roommate, we recommend posting a note on TOS-Con 2021’s Facebook page, where others will be looking for roomates as well.

The hotel is approximately 15 miles from Boston Logan International Airport. Shuttles are available from the airport to the hotel, and both Uber and Lyft provide transportation as well. If you’d like to share a ride with other conference attendees, post a note on TOS-Con 2021’s Facebook page, where others will be looking for shared rides, too. The hotel’s address is 2345 Commonwealth Avenue, Newton Massachusetts, 02466.

Information about parking options at and near the hotel will be posted soon.

Dress comfortably! We recommend casual attire for the opening banquet and daily lectures, and cocktail attire for the closing banquet and dance.

Tickets for the opening and closing banquets (Wednesday and Saturday nights) can be purchased through TOS-Con’s registration page. There is a bar, a restaurant, and a Starbucks in the hotel, as well as several great places to eat within walking distance.

Internet access for conference attendees is free throughout the hotel.

Information about livestreams will be posted at a later date.

Presentations at TOS-Con will be professionally recorded and made available at a later date. No other audio or video recording of the lectures or performances is permitted. You are welcome to take photographs, but please refrain from using a flash during lectures and performances.

Registration will remain open until the conference sells out. We encourage you to register and book your hotel room early, as space is limited.

If for any reason TOS-Con 2021 is canceled—or if for any reason you personally are unable to attend—TOS-Con will refund your registration fees, including banquet tickets, in full through July 21, the day the conference begins.

In the event that the conference is cancelled, refunds will be issued automatically. In the event that you personally cannot attend, you need only email us at info@theobjectivestandard.com with the subject line “Cancel TOS-Con Registration,” and we will refund your registration fees in full. It’s that simple.

For Active-Mind Scholarship recipients, please understand that we will NOT reimburse you for unused travel tickets. We recommend that you purchase refundable travel tickets and/or appropriate cancellation insurance.