Grace A. Tanner Lecture in Human Values

Obert C. Tanner was a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Utah, as well as an industrialist and a philanthropist. Of all the gifts he has left to universities, the one he was proudest of is the Lectures on Human Values. The Tanner Lecture on Human Values was formally established at the University of Cambridge, England, on July 1, 1978. In writing about the purpose of these lectures, Professor Tanner said, “I see them simply as a search for a better understanding of human behavior and human values." To this end, the lecture provides a forum in which to promote scholarly and scientific learning in the field of human values while embracing moral, artistic, intellectual, and spiritual values—both individual and social—and advancing the full register of values pertinent to the human condition, interest, behavior, and aspiration.

Fall 2026 Grace A. Tanner Lecture

The fall 2026 Grace A. Tanner Lecture in Human Values, part of the Eccles A.P.E.X. Lecture Series, will be delivered by Douglas Rushkoff on October 1, 2026, in the Great Hall of the Hunter Alumni Center at 11:30 a.m.

Every organization needs to know how to use AI to augment their company culture and creative processes. There is no one better equipped than Douglas Rushkoff to lead the way. Douglas is a world-renowned visionary and futurist named one of the world’s 10 most influential thinkers by MIT, as well as the co-founder of Andus Labs: a generative thinking firm that helps leaders make the leap into the AI era. Douglas has spent three decades thinking and writing about emerging technologies like AI, which has given him an unparalleled perspective on how to use these new tools to unleash our full human potential. With his trademark dynamism and energy, he helps leaders and organizations navigate the tech-augmented landscape ahead, showing you how to use AI to flourish creatively, bolster collaboration, and outsmart competitors—while centering human connection and solidarity.