218. Free Speech and Cambridge | James Orr and Arif Ahmed

Jan 17, 2022

In this engaging discussion, philosophers Arif Ahmed and James Orr from Cambridge University tackle the contentious topic of free speech in academia. They reflect on a controversial incident involving a rescinded speaking invitation, highlighting the chilling effects of conformity and anonymous reporting. The duo dives into the 'spiral of silence' phenomenon and the delicate balance between free speech and the concept of harm, discussing how microaggressions impact academic discourse. They advocate for a resurgence of humor and open dialogue in university culture.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

ANECDOTE

Cambridge Disinvitation

Jordan Peterson was disinvited from Cambridge after a photo of him with a man wearing an anti-Islam t-shirt surfaced.
This photo, one of thousands taken during a meet-and-greet, was cited as evidence of Peterson's "repugnant views."

INSIGHT

Ideological Influence

A small group of determined ideologues can create the illusion of a dominant orthodoxy within universities.
James Orr highlights the gap between actual minority views and their perceived dominance.

ANECDOTE

Endorsement by Association

Peterson's invitation was rescinded due to a photo, but the university cited "endorsement by association."
Arif Ahmed argues that merely standing next to someone doesn't imply agreement with their views.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

As an alternative for those who would rather listen ad-free, sign up for a premium subscription to receive the following:

• All JBP Podcast episodes are ad-free.

• Monthly Ask Me Anything episodes (and the ability to ask questions).

• Presale access to events.

• Premium, detailed show notes for future episodes.

This episode was recorded on October 11th, 2021.

Dr. Arif Ahmed and Dr. James Orr come on to discuss what led to the University of Cambridge rescinding my invitation to speak there. We get into the difficulty of change in universities, anonymous reporting, the dangers of limiting free speech, microaggressions, the importance of humor, and more.

Arif Ahmed MBE is a philosopher, lecturer at Cambridge, and author of “Saul Kripke”. His interests include decision theory and religion from an atheist and libertarian point of view. In the aftermath of the Cambridge incident, Dr. Ahmed remained a vocal advocate for political diversity.

Dr. James Orr is a university lecturer in philosophy of religion at Cambridge and author of “The Mind of God and the Works of Nature.” He is a regular contributor to The Times Literary Supplement and The Critic.

Dr. Ahmed’s profile:

https://phil.cam.ac.uk/people/teaching-research-pages/ahmed

“Saul Kripke”:

https://amazon.com/Kripke-Bloomsbury-Contemporary-American-Thinkers/dp/0826492622

Dr. Orr’s profile:

https://divinity.cam.ac.uk/directory/dr-james-orr

“The Mind of God and Works of Nature”:

https://amazon.co.uk/Mind-God-Works-Nature-Philosophical/dp/9042937629

_______________

Timestamps

_______________

[00:00] Intro

[01:13] The Cambridge repeal

[09:41] A case for the repealers, their potential fears

[10:19] Photos “don’t imply a position—that was one of the most outrageous things, ‘endorsement by association…’ As if standing next to someone implies [you’re in agreement]" - Dr. Ahmed

[14:11] Changes in free speech policy

[19:54] Speaking Up: Consequences

[25:28] The difficulty of change in university

[27:36] “You become what you practice” - Jordan Peterson

[27:45] “If you put off fights, they don't usually get better” - Jordan Peterson

[35:53] Being Silent: Perils

[36:04] “In general, with any coercive principle, think what might happen in the hands of someone wicked and tyrannical. That's how we should think about these things” - Dr. Ahmed

[41:46] "The idea that you should remove everything that could threaten someone's identity and you should make that a university-wide policy is actually, exactly the opposite of what you should do, speaking clinically if you're trying to help people become more resilient" - Dr. Peterson

[44:32] Microaggressions and the importance of humor

[44:33] "There’s no such thing as a joke that isn't a microaggression. Jokes aren't funny unless they're microaggressions–especially witty ones" - Dr. Peterson

[47:19] Anonymous voting & reporting

[49:52] "Politics is downstream from culture [and, for better or worse,] culture is generated in universities" - Dr. Peterson

[49:59] “What happens on campus doesn't stay on campus" - Dr. Orr

[50:50] "The point about anonymous reporting is that... you can't come back to them to check their evidence. The person who has been accused can't face their accuser. There’s no possibility of due process” - Dr. Ahmed

[54:51] Anonymous reports circumventing due process

[57:55] Tyranny & Free Speech

[59:17] Details about the vote; university bureaucracy

[01:05:56] UK legislation post-Cambridge

[01:13:06] Anti-education & ideological purity tests at university

[01:15:36] "I've heard students say ‘Well, I just write what the professor wants...’ It's like no – writing is thinking and if you don't think, that becomes part of you – those words become part of you [and] that's not bad education, it's anti-education" - Dr. Peterson