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The answer to Michael's
pertinent question is critical. I suppose we know only what to rule out, for
example, "I believe this is the class that the Lord wanted me to teach." In my
view, teaching in general should stimulate (provoke respectfully and
sensitively), and basically being more concerned about assisting the student to
derive his or her own thoughtful opinions independently. Teaching, I
suppose, is similar to parenting. One should want the student (child) to develop
the critical and passionate capacity to think for themselves even if the
substantive conclusions are not your own. Is there some
litmus to
"make sure that we have" such a teacher or are such a parent? No! At least
not some general principle. But then again, as in many other important
pursuits, we develop intuitive guidelines, which we should always be ready
to revise and refine.
My point was imply
this. That as both a teacher and a parent I want my students and my
daughter to be exposed to religious, social, political, and scientific
controversies by those whose primary stake in the controversy is not getting the
student or child to think as the adult does, but rather to think for
themselves. It's inconceivable to me that in the public square of a
deliberative democracy we should seek anything else. Do I want my daughter to
adopt my fundamental values? Well, of course I do. But do I think my
parental responsibility should take the form of trying to persuade her with
whatever ratiocinative powers I possess that my substantive values are correct.
Absolutely not, except for one fundamental value, namely, that pursuing
justified convictions, where "justified" clearly refers to some inter-subjective
practice that others should be able to confirm and respond to, is presumptively
more important than a commitment to some set of substantive results.
Bobby
Robert Justin Lipkin Professor of Law Widener University School of Law Delaware |
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