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Some crude thoughts on the philosophy trans wars.
It seems to me that part of why it got so heated is that neither side wants to acknowledge that there's a genuinely difficult conflict between academic freedom and the interests of a marginalised group, with no easy answers 1/8
It seems to me that part of why it got so heated is that neither side wants to acknowledge that there's a genuinely difficult conflict between academic freedom and the interests of a marginalised group, with no easy answers 1/8
This leads to 2 related problems:
1. Both sides argue as if they have a clear trump card, be it academic freedom or the interests of trans people.
2. Both sides argue that the other side's concerns are unfounded (no real threat to ac freedom, no real threat to trans people) 2/8
1. Both sides argue as if they have a clear trump card, be it academic freedom or the interests of trans people.
2. Both sides argue that the other side's concerns are unfounded (no real threat to ac freedom, no real threat to trans people) 2/8
But it seems to me that both sides' concerns are well-founded, by and large.
Activism can stifle academic debate, and academic contributions can damage the interests of some groups (e.g. when taken up by judges).
Now I don't know what follows from that 3/8
Activism can stifle academic debate, and academic contributions can damage the interests of some groups (e.g. when taken up by judges).
Now I don't know what follows from that 3/8
My guess is that a more productive debate would be centred on what, if any, should be the appropriate trade-off between protecting academic freedom and protecting the interests of the marginalised.
Some will hold that protecting the marginalised is not an academic value. 4/8
Some will hold that protecting the marginalised is not an academic value. 4/8
Or that academic freedom needs to be absolute to be anything at all.
Others will hold that emancipation constitutive of education and scholarship, and so that academic freedom should be shaped accordingly.
And of course there's a whole range of intermediate positions.
5/8
Others will hold that emancipation constitutive of education and scholarship, and so that academic freedom should be shaped accordingly.
And of course there's a whole range of intermediate positions.
5/8
But I think this is the debate we need. This debate would also help clarifying if and when it is ever appropriate to try and determine whether someone argues disingenuously or in bad faith, as opposed to just assessing scholarly arguments for their literal content. 6/8
In short, and perhaps unsurprisingly, people are at cross purposes here because they lack a shared understanding of what academia & philosophy are for, which is probably unattainable.
Where does that leave us? 7/8
Where does that leave us? 7/8
Given the lack of agreement on ends, we're left with a choice between stamping out the other side with raw power and finding a pluralistic modus vivendi. Sadly both sides are largely trying to stamp each other out. Must it be this way? I think not, but that's for another time
8/8
8/8
