The view from Cornell, The Philosophical Review’s home, is that the fuss is overblown. … Read the rest
All entries by this author
Turks Remember Hrant Dink
Jan 19th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThousands of people gathered in Istanbul to commemorate the murder with flowers and candles.… Read the rest
Hani Ramadan Wins Compensation Payment
Jan 19th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonGeneva teacher, brother of Tariq, was fired for Le Monde opinion piece defending stoning.… Read the rest
Mo Has a Cunning Plan
Jan 18th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonTell the barmaid he’s offended. Yes but will she care? Poor Mo.… Read the rest
Anniversary of Murder of Hrant Dink
Jan 18th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe victim of a state-endorsed nationalism that bans any mention of certain aspects of Turkish history.… Read the rest
RSF: Mullahs Call for Death Penalty for Journalist
Jan 18th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonReligious fundamentalists try to prevent any debate about Islam and the status of women. … Read the rest
Front Page Interviews Azar Majedi
Jan 18th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThey disagree on quite a few points.… Read the rest
Creation Museum Sells Mastodon Skull
Jan 18th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe skull is estimated to be 40,000 years old – but not of course by creationists.… Read the rest
Rushdie: Ignore the 25 Goondas at the Gate
Jan 17th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonWhether it’s India or UK or US, we cannot allow religious hooligans to place limiting points on thought.… Read the rest
How Journalism Talks About Women
Jan 17th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonCoverage of male candidates is about issues, of female candidates about appearance and family.… Read the rest
Civility Code or Loyalty Oath?
Jan 17th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘The words “inclusiveness and diversity” are used in academia these days virtually as religious incantations.’… Read the rest
Wendy Kaminer on Mandatory Respect
Jan 17th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonMindless respect for all points of view is not an element of critical thinking. … Read the rest
Secular Coalition on House Resolution 888
Jan 17th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonHR 888 presents such a distorted version of US history that real education can’t possibly be its goal.… Read the rest
Promises that should not be made
Jan 17th, 2008 11:30 am | By Ophelia BensonWhich includes the well-intentioned version offered by Bergen Community College.
In the full knowledge of the commitment that I am freely willing to undertake as a student, I promise to respect each and every member of the college community without regard to race, creed, political ideology, lifestyle orientation, gender, or social status sparing no effort to preserve the dignity of those I will come in contact with as a member of the college community…I will embrace and celebrate differing perspectives intellectually.
No; sorry; no can do. I can’t possibly promise to respect each and every member of the college community a priori in that way. Civility is one thing, and respect is another. BCC is within its rights to … Read the rest
We’re not talking about some pavement artist
Jan 17th, 2008 10:59 am | By Ophelia BensonSalman Rushdie isn’t having it.
“I don’t make my decisions based on 25 goondas at the gate,” says Salman Rushdie tartly…Whether it’s India or England or America, he says, “we cannot allow religious hooligans to place limiting points on thought”. This, he says, is as true about the American religious right as it is about the Sikh mobs in Birmingham that prevented the production of a play. “It’s not specific to any religion or any place,” he adds. “Original thought, original artistic expression is by its very nature questioning, irreverent, iconoclastic…it’s really a decision about what kind of culture we want to be in.”
Quite. And that kind is the kind that allows a wide range of thought, as … Read the rest
Pope Cancels Visit to Rome University
Jan 16th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonHe is accused of despising science and defending the Inquisition’s condemnation of Galileo.… Read the rest
Dinesh D’Souza Wins NH Bad Faith Award
Jan 16th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonEdges out pope, Archbishop Francisco Chimoio, Westboro Baptist Church. Congrats Dinesh!… Read the rest
Cathleen Schine Reads Katha Pollitt
Jan 16th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonShe is too inquisitive, too enchanted by the unexpected, to be a really proper ideologue.… Read the rest
BBC1 Documentary on Forced Marriage
Jan 16th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonJasvinder ran away to escape a forced marriage. Her sister committed suicide by setting herself on fire.… Read the rest
Nigel Warburton on ‘The Grasshopper’
Jan 16th, 2008 | Filed by Ophelia BensonA brilliant and witty book, superbly written and with serious and original contributions to make. … Read the rest