Lawrence Summers: We have an administration [i.e. the George W. Bush administration] that takes pride in the fact that its policies are based on faith and conviction rather than reason and evidence. In a very different corner, in large parts of the academic world, the parts of the academic world that would almost define themselves by the opposition to what the administration stands for, there’s a belief that truth is an arbitrary social construct, or a reflection of power relations rather than reality. And the great virtue of debate is respect for each other’s positions.
And I have very much the opposite sense. The great virtue of debate is to understand it better, and you come closer to a better answer.
Recorded on: June 2007.
Discuss
Afaun Mandol on January 27, 2008, 8:40 AM
I wish everyone could agree with your definition of "the purpose of debate". It's dead on!
Afaun Mandol on January 27, 2008, 1:40 PM
I wish everyone could agree with your definition of “the purpose of debate”. It’s dead on!
Hector Miguel Padilla on February 18, 2008, 7:25 PM
Faith and conviction are words used to appear as having them, only appearances, deceit. It belongs to the nature of the Will to Power to cover that upon which it wants to over power, so in Irak the invation wants to bring democracy and life, the killing and oil is only a by-product.
Hector Miguel Padilla on February 19, 2008, 12:25 AM
Faith and conviction are words used to appear as having them, only appearances, deceit. It belongs to the nature of the Will to Power to cover that upon which it wants to over power, so in Irak the invation wants to bring democracy and life, the killing and oil is only a by-product.
Add a Comment
You must be logged in to comment. Log in or Register