DIY History | Transcribe | Social Justice | Students for a Democratic Society, Herrnstein lecture, February-June, 1972 | 1972-03-06 Daily Iowan Letter to the Editor: 'Establish open inquiry'

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Students for a Democratic Society, Herrnstein lecture, February-June, 1972

1972-03-06 Daily Iowan Letter to the Editor: 'Establish open inquiry'

DI 
3/6/72
Establish open inquiry
To the editor: 
Two fundamental principles and a fragile privilege of inquiry define a community of learners. All were compromised, if not violated, by the Herrnstein affair last Friday evening.
Our unique community exists - in all its bureaucratic complexity and incidental busy-work - to make possible one, ultimate act: the public asking by the one of another, "what is your evidence?" "Where is your reasoning?"
Having published his controversial statements in The Atlantic, prof. Herrnstein must have expected such questions. As a member of the professoriate, he might have been ready to answer - had conditions been propitious.
He should have been eager to answer, for one who professes knowledges professes the willingness to debate openly all the questions he has raised. He stands by the body of his teaching, not selected portions of it. 
This characteristic of the learner and his community is embraced in The American Association of University Professors' statements on Professional Ethics and Academic Freedom. 
No less binding an obligation constrains all members of our campus. Not vituperation, not the threat of strident sermonizing, nor cliche-ridden passion, nor platitudes of dogma - but simple, penetrating questions, are called for "What is your evidence?" "What is the process of your inference?"
The quiet and persistent will ask, and to consider Prof. Herrnstein's answers, did not characterize a sizeable number of Friday’s audience. The meeting fizzled. We wonder whether we could have maintained the conditions in which learning might have happened. A shameful uncertainty remains.  
AAUP suggests some possible gestures of redress:
Identify the disruptors. Let student and faculty members of our community dicuss with them the tactics and power of inquiry. AAUP's statement on The Rights and Freedoms of Students marks the radical difference between learners and persons who are unwilling or incapable of joining their community.
Print Prof. Herrnstein's scholarly paper in the DI or FYI.

Ask members of the Dep. of Psychology to hold ab open forum in the Union to probe the evidence and follow the reasoning which led Prof. Herrnstein to his conclusions. A firm voice in the chair, and known ground rules of public debate could make the event significant in the intellectual lives of many U. of Iowans.
Or, let the Student-Worker Alliance or the Student of Faculty Senates subscribe money to reinvite Prof. Herrnstein to discuss his controvertial conclusion. Or invite Prof. Herrnstein for this purpose in next year's Lecture Series. 
AAUP hopes that Prof. Herrnstein has the courage of all his convictions and that every member of this community will stand in confidence of his right to inquire and to defend the conditions for inquiry.
John Huntley
President, U. of I. AAUP

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DI 3/6/72 Establish open inquiry To the editor: Two fundamental principles and a fragile privilege of inquiry define a community of learners. All were compromised, if not violated, by the Herrnstein affair last Friday evening. Our unique community exists - in all its bureaucratic complexity and incidental busy-work - to make possible one, ultimate act: the public asking by the one of another, "what is your evidence?" "Where is your reasoning?" Having published his controversial statements in The Atlantic, prof. Herrnstein must have expected such questions. As a member of the professoriate, he might have been ready to answer - had conditions been propitious. He should have been eager to answer, for one who professes knowledges professes the willingness to debate openly all the questions he has raised. He stands by the body of his teaching, not selected portions of it. This characteristic of the learner and his community is embraced in The American Association of University Professors' statements on Professional Ethics and Academic Freedom. No less binding an obligation constrains all members of our campus. Not vituperation, not the threat of strident sermonizing, nor cliche-ridden passion, nor platitudes of dogma - but simple, penetrating questions, are called for "What is your evidence?" "What is the process of your inference?" The quiet and persistent will ask, and to consider Prof. Herrnstein's answers, did not characterize a sizeable number of Friday’s audience. The meeting fizzled. We wonder whether we could have maintained the conditions in which learning might have happened. A shameful uncertainty remains. AAUP suggests some possible gestures of redress: Identify the disruptors. Let student and faculty members of our community dicuss with them the tactics and power of inquiry. AAUP's statement on The Rights and Freedoms of Students marks the radical difference between learners and persons who are unwilling or incapable of joining their community. Print Prof. Herrnstein's scholarly paper in the DI or FYI. Ask members of the Dep. of Psychology to hold ab open forum in the Union to probe the evidence and follow the reasoning which led Prof. Herrnstein to his conclusions. A firm voice in the chair, and known ground rules of public debate could make the event significant in the intellectual lives of many U. of Iowans. Or, let the Student-Worker Alliance or the Student of Faculty Senates subscribe money to reinvite Prof. Herrnstein to discuss his controvertial conclusion. Or invite Prof. Herrnstein for this purpose in next year's Lecture Series. AAUP hopes that Prof. Herrnstein has the courage of all his convictions and that every member of this community will stand in confidence of his right to inquire and to defend the conditions for inquiry. John Huntley President, U. of I. AAUP