"TOPEKA, Kansas (AP) -- A University of Kansas course devoted to debunking creationism and intelligent design has been canceled after the professor who planned to teach it caused a furor by sending an e-mail mocking Christian fundamentalists...."
I mentioned this situation a couple days ago. Apparently apologies did little to reassure the University of Kansas that this course could be taught fairly in view of the actions of the teacher.
It's too bad, since this could have been an occaision for fruitful debate -- and while I am not in favor of teaching ID as science, I think that there is potential for dialog -- but first each side must acknowledge that a diversity of opinion exists, and respect it and each other.
2 comments:
I think universities should treat fundamentalist of the left exactly as they do fundamentalists of the right. If I were chancellor of the university, I would get a new professor, and get it team taught with someone equally reasonable on the other side.
The "fundamentalists of the left", eh? That's interesting. I have, from time to time, observed that "liberals" can be rather conservative when it comes to accepting divergent ideas, and that "conservatives" can be downright liberal when it comes to respecting different points of view.
I am somewhat less than sanguine about the chances of finding people in the academic community who are willing to present their perspectives without feeling that they have failed if the "other side" can't see the plain logic and reasonableness of their beliefs.
Of course being pessimistic is no reason to avoid trying to foster an envoronment of honest debate.
What department(s) should the co-leaders come from?
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