Statement of Commitment to Academic Freedom and to Intellectual Merit
www.overcomingbias.com
I (Robin Hanson) have signed this statement, and am posting it simultaneously with three of my colleagues, Bryan Caplan, Alex Tabarrok, and Don Boudreaux. Statement of Commitment to Academic Freedom and to Intellectual Merit Addressed to the George Mason University (GMU) community and the public at large
An important statement overall, and yet why is the focus on leftist attempts to stifle ideas with nary a mention of some of things Republican governments wish to impose on academia, such as the State of Florida via the "Stop WOKE Act"? If privately enforced "diversity statements" are egregious, surely a government imposing restrictions on what professors may teach is even worse.
And unfortunately, focusing on privately enforced leftist restrictions will likely cause the statement to be viewed as partisan, rather than principled.
By trying to draw any kind of equivalence between the "Stop WOKE Act" and leftist cancel culture you are essentially trying to equate a surgeon's scalpel with a mugger's switchblade.
My understanding is that right leaning departments, including potentially the economics department at GMU, receive Koch brother funding and in exchange for that allow the Koch brothers to have power over who they hire as professors.
I don’t believe for one sec the Koch brothers are casting a wide net for the best and brightest, but rather those who serve their interests.
If you stand supposedly for academic freedom, then perhaps you should take a stand against that.
Also it’s a lousy and dishonest letter. As a new reader to your blog, I’m out.
It seems to me, as a Norwegian foreigner, that most of this statement is already covered by the UN's Declaration of Human Rights, which the USA signed without exceptions. It is therefore quite a mystery to me, how American universities can support both censorship (read: cancel culture) and racism (anti white masculine privilege)?
The only passage I do not consent to here, is the passus "... the right and duty of academic departments to hire and promote the most brilliant, creative, and productive faculty in their fields, ...".
There are only som many of the "most brilliant, creative and productive" people to hire, and certainly not enough to go round, so; most departments really have to settle for "well qualified", in order to get anyone at all. In short: This demand is a tad too much.
There must be room for the "well qualified", on both sides of the pulpit.
But of course: All forms of censorship, both against students and personnel are against the spirit and letter of the Human Rights, and should be a matter of course, even in the USA.
An important statement overall, and yet why is the focus on leftist attempts to stifle ideas with nary a mention of some of things Republican governments wish to impose on academia, such as the State of Florida via the "Stop WOKE Act"? If privately enforced "diversity statements" are egregious, surely a government imposing restrictions on what professors may teach is even worse.
And unfortunately, focusing on privately enforced leftist restrictions will likely cause the statement to be viewed as partisan, rather than principled.
Thank you, Robin.
By trying to draw any kind of equivalence between the "Stop WOKE Act" and leftist cancel culture you are essentially trying to equate a surgeon's scalpel with a mugger's switchblade.
My understanding is that right leaning departments, including potentially the economics department at GMU, receive Koch brother funding and in exchange for that allow the Koch brothers to have power over who they hire as professors.
I don’t believe for one sec the Koch brothers are casting a wide net for the best and brightest, but rather those who serve their interests.
If you stand supposedly for academic freedom, then perhaps you should take a stand against that.
Also it’s a lousy and dishonest letter. As a new reader to your blog, I’m out.
I swear Tyler"Wokeness has peaked" Cowen works for GMU? Why would he not sign?
It seems to me, as a Norwegian foreigner, that most of this statement is already covered by the UN's Declaration of Human Rights, which the USA signed without exceptions. It is therefore quite a mystery to me, how American universities can support both censorship (read: cancel culture) and racism (anti white masculine privilege)?
The only passage I do not consent to here, is the passus "... the right and duty of academic departments to hire and promote the most brilliant, creative, and productive faculty in their fields, ...".
There are only som many of the "most brilliant, creative and productive" people to hire, and certainly not enough to go round, so; most departments really have to settle for "well qualified", in order to get anyone at all. In short: This demand is a tad too much.
There must be room for the "well qualified", on both sides of the pulpit.
But of course: All forms of censorship, both against students and personnel are against the spirit and letter of the Human Rights, and should be a matter of course, even in the USA.
This initiative seems superficial until enforced effectively! I do hope it succeeds and the true values are upheld
Is this a response to something?