Aside from stifling dissent within its own ranks, how much weight should a position taken by a university department be given? If a professor in civil engineering publishes a paper on the need for infrastructure maintenance, that can assumed to be based on an educated opinion. If a professor in women's studies publishes a paper on the salary gap between women and men, that can also be assumed to be based on an educated opinion. If either of those professors writes about achieving peace in the Middle East, that would represent an opinion although, perhaps, not educated.
No one needs to invent a policy. The University of Chicago has written and apparently enforces all that needs to be said. Given the gross bias demonstrated by many university's administrators, even if they publish the Chicago Statement, I doubt they would ever enforce it.
Universities are businesses and to keep the customers happy they have to pretend any opinion is as good as any other. They are "My Truth" machines: Oh yes another "my truth" moment, so chic. This is not a matter of sides at all. See the truth of an atrocity and then define it as an atrocity. Killing babies, burning families to death and kidnapping children and grandmothers: That is an atrocity. Hiding your weapons and your soldiers in hospitals, holy places and schools to assure your own civilians are killed: That is an atrocity. Wearing "living baby armor" when you go into battle: That would be an atrocity. Protagoras is the new fancy philosophy of universities. Any opinion is as good as any other so long as the student money keeps coming in. But in the world where truth is still seen, sides do not matter. See the atrocity define the atrocity. The truth is the truth.
My truth is your truth is false Harvard students. Parse that for a moment.
Moving in the proposed direction also may contribute to increased support of the institutions by people of all political persuasions, slowly restoring a broad base of support for free inquiry and respect for knowledge.
Aside from stifling dissent within its own ranks, how much weight should a position taken by a university department be given? If a professor in civil engineering publishes a paper on the need for infrastructure maintenance, that can assumed to be based on an educated opinion. If a professor in women's studies publishes a paper on the salary gap between women and men, that can also be assumed to be based on an educated opinion. If either of those professors writes about achieving peace in the Middle East, that would represent an opinion although, perhaps, not educated.
No one needs to invent a policy. The University of Chicago has written and apparently enforces all that needs to be said. Given the gross bias demonstrated by many university's administrators, even if they publish the Chicago Statement, I doubt they would ever enforce it.
Universities are businesses and to keep the customers happy they have to pretend any opinion is as good as any other. They are "My Truth" machines: Oh yes another "my truth" moment, so chic. This is not a matter of sides at all. See the truth of an atrocity and then define it as an atrocity. Killing babies, burning families to death and kidnapping children and grandmothers: That is an atrocity. Hiding your weapons and your soldiers in hospitals, holy places and schools to assure your own civilians are killed: That is an atrocity. Wearing "living baby armor" when you go into battle: That would be an atrocity. Protagoras is the new fancy philosophy of universities. Any opinion is as good as any other so long as the student money keeps coming in. But in the world where truth is still seen, sides do not matter. See the atrocity define the atrocity. The truth is the truth.
My truth is your truth is false Harvard students. Parse that for a moment.
Moving in the proposed direction also may contribute to increased support of the institutions by people of all political persuasions, slowly restoring a broad base of support for free inquiry and respect for knowledge.