The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie

Steven Pinker: Can Harvard Be Saved?

52 snips
May 7, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Steven Pinker, a renowned Harvard psychologist and best-selling author, tackles the challenges facing academic freedom and free speech at Harvard. He explores the impact of political pressures on universities and emphasizes the importance of independent scholarly governance. Pinker also shares his admiration for Richard Dawkins and discusses the role of secularism in moral progress. He introduces concepts from his upcoming book, shedding light on how 'common knowledge' influences societal dynamics. A thought-provoking conversation on education's future!
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INSIGHT

Harvard's Progress on Free Speech

  • Harvard has made progress towards free speech and institutional neutrality but still faces ideological enforcement issues.
  • Academic freedom is now openly discussed and defended even if not fully achieved yet.
INSIGHT

Affirmative Action Loopholes

  • Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action led universities to create loopholes like personal life experience statements.
  • Such workarounds aim to maintain diversity despite legal restrictions on racial preferences.
INSIGHT

Value of Intellectual Diversity

  • Intellectual diversity is essential because most people are usually wrong about many things.
  • A key university mission is pursuing truth through exposure to varied viewpoints, not equal validity of all views.
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