Men aren't women?

Exactly what type of intellectual discussions should universities have?



Last week, Harvard President Larry Summers received some vehement criticism over remarks he made that there may be innate differences between men and women's abilities in math and science. Yet Summers also had strong defenders, those who felt that "provoking" scholars and encouraging debate is exactly what more university leaders should be doing.



One of the main problems of groupthink is that few, if any, question the status quo of ideas. This is abundantly true in our universities. People are compelled to think a certain way without any compelling evidence for thinking that way. If someone like Summers steps up an questions the reasons for thinking that way, he is labeled a sexist or a chauvinist. If what we think is true, then it will stand up to scrutiny. If what we think is false, then we need to be shown its fallacy so we can change our thinking. To many people don't what to believe what's right, they want what they believe to be right, no matter what scientific or philosophical evidence contradicts it. I think what Summers did was laudatory. If anything, he exposed some of the intellectual anemia of one of America's top institutions.