Intellectual honesty demands that, occasionally at least, we go out of our way to confront strong arguments opposed to our views. How else are we to protect ourselves from continuing in error?
- Robert Nozick
Next week you will hear much more about the topic below from Dr. Brandon Warmke in our next podcast episode. He is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Bowling Green State University, and starting this fall he will be Associate Professor of Humanities at the Hamilton School of Classical and Civic Education at the University of Florida. It was one of my favorite conversations. But first:
I have been thinking a lot recently about fairness as a litmus test for trust.
I trust people who believe that ethical principles apply to everyone, including themselves, and including whatever group(s) they belong to.
I do not trust people who believe and act as if some preferable outcome is the best measure for evaluating an action.
This happens all the time in politics. When the left had the power, the right (often correctly) criticized the left for rigging government power in their favor, because otherwise the other side will advance. And we can't have that. Too much at stake.
Now that the right holds the power, many are using the same tactics they once criticized the left for.
It ends up prioritizing tribalism over fairness.
But the thing about principles is that they stand regardless of who or what they apply to. A virtuous, principled person feels the pinch.
If someone believes a principle applies only when the application of that principle benefits them or their group in some way, that person fails to understand what principles are in the first place.
I’ve been thinking about this litmus test as it applies to education ethics.
The classroom should be fair, and students should know why it's fair, and the conditions for fairness.
The other day I saw a teacher wear a politically charged pin. It was a country's flag, clearly indicating support for a particular geo-political position.
I know exactly what this signals to students.
It tells students where their professor stands on a political issue, and likely where they stand on other political issues. And for those students who do not share their political beliefs, it signals disagreement with the person who evaluates their work, before any mention of important specifics and arguments of an issue. It also typically chills any chance of a constructive classroom conversation.
That is, in my opinion, completely counter to the aims, goals, and ethics of education.
If you don’t think it’s appropriate to teach in a MAGA hat, you shouldn’t think it’s appropriate to wear an AOC shirt that says “Tax the Rich”.
If you believe the one is appropriate while the other isn’t, then principled fairness and ethics have given way to group loyalty.
Or if you think it’s fair to represent your outgroup using its worst features, and to represent your ingroup using its best features, then principled fairness and ethics have given way to group loyalty.
We should be ok with our own group or ourselves taking a loss if it means being fair to others in the application of our principles. Taking a more tangible L in outcomes can mean getting a more long-term W for virtue.
That's an acceptable tradeoff.
Until next time.
Jared
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