I thought this piece from the President of Dartmouth provided an interesting perspective on the role of the University in many of the culture war issues of the day.
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I can’t see most of the article (paywall), but Universities in many instances have forgotten what the purpose of the University really is.
Universities are supposed to be bastions of free expression. Ideas are supposed to flow freely and be fiercely debated on their merits. In this debate, ideas can be attacked, but the people presenting them cannot. If a society has free speech laws, then these laws should get their most generous interpretation at a University. Universities should also freely admit that they don’t know everything and that knowledge evolves. An idea that seems “crazy” now might become fact later. So “crazy” ideas require MORE tolerance, not less.
Imagine Galileo presenting an unpopular idea at today’s University. As a reminder, Galileo was persecuted by the Inquisition for suggesting that the Earth was not the center of the Universe. Galileo might be condemned and face attacks on his character. He might be shouted down and prevented from speaking. The threat of physical violence against him would be real in some cases. His attackers might freely vandalize and disrupt the university until they saw him cancelled. He might be fired by today’s University.
How many ideas can you name that cannot be challenged at today’s University? I could give you a dozen off of the top of my head.
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Sorry. I updated the post with a link to gift the story. Let me know if this doesn’t work.
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Let’s hear them…
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