Around 150 guests attended the inaugural lecture by Prof. Dr. Nils Goldschmidt, Director of the Global Ethic Institute, on Wednesday evening at the institute’s premises on Hintere Grabenstraße in Tübingen. Under the title “Compromises: Why the Truth Will Not Save Us,” the economist, who is also a member of the German Ethics Council, spoke about the central importance of compromise for a democratic, just, and thriving society. In times when political deals create winners and losers, it is important to remember that compromise brings different interests into harmony. Especially in a time when simple truths and polarizing voices are becoming louder, Goldschmidt said, we need the ability to tolerate differences and work together to find viable solutions.
In his remarks, Goldschmidt made it clear that conflicts cannot be resolved by self-righteous truths and that societies cannot succeed by insisting on their own position. “It is the willingness to engage in dialogue, work together, and the art of compromise that sustains our coexistence,” he emphasized. Compromises are not an expression of weakness, but of ethical maturity and democratic strength – and ultimately also a contribution to economic stability. This was underpinned in the lecture by a first glimpse of a study to be published shortly, which he has developed with his team. The study shows that there is a strong correlation between social cohesion and economic performance. Markets are places where compromise is practiced anyway: “Markets bring together the interests of buyers and sellers; they create a balance of interests. Of course, not every compromise offer finds a compromise buyer, but that is precisely the basic idea of markets: to reach as many compromises as possible for mutual benefit.”
Welcoming remarks and distinguished guests
The evening was opened by Rector Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. (Dōshisha) Karla Pollmann, who emphasized in her welcoming remarks the role of the Global Ethic Institute as a place of dialogue between science, business, and society. Prof. Dr. Bernd Engler, President of the Global Ethic Foundation, praised Goldschmidt’s approach of combining economic thinking with ethical responsibility: “In a time of global tensions, we need voices that show that economics and ethics are not mutually exclusive, but rather mutually dependent.”
Dr. Philipp Bocks, Chairman of the Karl Schlecht Foundation, emphasized in his welcoming address the central importance of the Global Ethic Institute for the founder Karl Schlecht. Prof. Dr. Ursula Nothelle-Wildfeuer (University of Freiburg) praised Goldschmidt as a boundary crosser who, “in conversations over the garden fence,” makes valuable contributions at the interface between economics, ethics, and society as a boundary crosser between the disciplines of economics and theology.
The guests at the inaugural lecture also included numerous personalities from science, politics, business, and civil society, including Prof. Dr. Stefan Kolev, member of the scientific advisory board of the Federal Ministry of Economics, Dr. Katrin Schlecht, chairwoman of the Karl Schlecht Foundation, District Administrator Dr. Bednarz, Social Affairs Mayor Dr. Gundula Schäfer-Vogel, Bernhard Siebold, Chairman of the University Council, Dean Prof. Dr. Dominik Papies, and Dr. Uta Eser, member of the German Ethics Council.
Fotos: Laura Winter
