The Great Conversation
About Event
Within each of us there is a drive to move the human project forward. We are told to maximize our agency, to "just do things."Â But how do we know which things are worth doing?
On May 27th, The Toronto Society & irid, suported by Notion, Cursor, and Ambition, present The Great Conversation, a lecture on the history of technology by Matthew Jordan.
We have been telling the story of technology backwards. Our tools—steam engines, silicon chips—take center stage, but these artifacts are the lagging indicators of progress, not the drivers. Tools are the image of their creators. If we are to understand technology, we must begin by understanding technologists.
To be a technologist is to have a theory of what it means to be human, and to make that theory concrete through the craft of engineering and design.
For Toronto Tech Week, we are going to profile extraordinary individuals in the history of technology—many Canadian—and trace their lineage to our present day. We will show you what it looks like to understand yourself not merely as a “builder”, but as a historic actor with a stake in politics and culture.Â
Technology is a conversation that stretches across millennia. You have been part of this conversation your entire life. You just haven't been formally introduced.
Before and after the lecture our lead sponsors, joined by Ambrook, Positive Sum, Colossus and many other publications will join us in the lobby to share reading materials and discuss the ways they are shaping this conversation.
Event Timing
​​​6:00 PM: Doors Open, Reception
​​​7:00 PM: Lecture Followed by Q&A
​​​8:30 PM: Socializing, Reception
​​​9:45 PM: Event Concludes​
​Patron Ticket Package
​A reserved front row seat
​Dinner with the speaker & sponsors the day prior to the event (May 26)
​Access to all future lecture series before public release
​Our sincere gratitude—your support makes these events possible
Things to know
About The Hosts
Benjamin Parry runs The Toronto Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, which is building intellectual infrastructure that will promote education, community, and cultural creativity for the next 100 years and beyond.
Michelle Jia is a lecturer at Stanford d.School and the founder of The Institute for Relational Intelligence in Design (irid), a design institution focused on nurturing a network of grounded, civic-minded creatives in the city of Toronto.
Matthew Jordan is a PhD candidate in the history of technology at Princeton University and the founder of Hidden Rivers, a walking tour and history education company.
Joss Murphy is the founder of Wygo, which is creating the infrastructure for in-person, entrepreneurial community organizers to grow businesses and do what they love.
Anthea Tawiah is a designer who led visual direction for The Great Conversation.
By registering for this event, you agree to share your registration responses with Wygo, the hosts, and any listed sponsors.
Photos and videos may be taken at this event for future promotional purposes. By attending the event, you consent to being photographed / filmed. If you'd prefer not to be photographed, please let the hosts know.
Hosts reserve the right to refuse entry or remove any participant who does not comply with the event rules or guidelines. Please be respectful of the hosts and other participants. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the hosts directly.
Notice of Filming and Photography
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When you attend this event, you enter an area where photography, audio, and video recording will occur. By entering the event premises, you consent to this recording and its release, publication, exhibition or reproduction.