Monday, December 22, 2014

Ya think?-----How academia's liberal bias is killing social science

How academia's liberal bias is killing social science - The Week:
"I have had the following experience more than once: I am speaking with a professional academic who is a liberal.
The subject of the underrepresentation of conservatives in academia comes up.
My interlocutor admits that this is indeed a reality, but says the reason why conservatives are underrepresented in academia is because they don't want to be there, or they're just not smart enough to cut it. 
I say: "That's interesting. 
For which other underrepresented groups do you think that's true?"
An uncomfortable silence follows.
I point this out not to score culture-war points, but because it's actually a serious problem.
Social sciences and humanities cannot be completely divorced from the philosophy of those who practice it.
And groupthink causes some questions not to be asked, and some answers not to be overly scrutinized. 
It is making our science worse. 
Anyone who cares about the advancement of knowledge and science should care about this problem."

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