[MD] Value and the Individual

[Christoffer Ivarsson]

>> [Platt]
>> > Your loyalty to your university is admirable. But as for free-thinking, 
>> > do
>> > you find it somewhat "unbalanced" that so many of the faculty are
>> > leftists?

>> You mean the students? no, why would it?
>
> No, I mean the faculty, as you described above.

I meant the students. From all of the lecturers I have had and the officials 
I have been in contact with I have very seldom been able to tell their 
political views. It is considered highly unprofessional and unethical for a 
teacher to let such things influence their teaching.

>> If a majority of the students make
>> a Value assesment based on the historical and philosophical education 
>> they
>> get that leads them to have a more center/left position in questions of
>> politics in general I really only see that as people recognizing Quality
>> when they see it.

Platt:
> For a higher Quality result, you've recommended balance. I don't see much 
> here.

Don't get sidetracked now. Balance in the organization of social structures 
and between Dynamic Quality and Static Quality is not in relation to this 
specific fact. The education is balanced. And the Quality assesment the 
students make is that mentioned.

>> [Platt]
>> > Also, do you have data, such as a list of required reading materials, 
>> > to
>> > indicate that the rightist view is represented at least as much as the
>> > leftist view?

Chris:
>> Yes, that is part of what the Student Union does - makes sure that the
>> required reading materials is as impartial as possible, and that teachers
>> aren't imposing their values on the students.

[Platt]
> What I meant was not that the reading materials be impartial (that's 
> impossible)
> but that students read materials that present intellectual arguments on 
> both
> sides of the political spectrum.

Yes. As an example from the area of History (my field) I can take the 
Russian Revolution for example. When reading about that the literature and 
the lecturers make a point of presenting all the major interpretation-models 
that has been used over the years, and on the exams the students is asked to 
explain all these different interpretation-models. No one is pointed out as 
"the right one". This is the way such things is generally presented.


>> [Platt]
>> >Finally, is the university financed by the state?

Chris:
>> Of course. What do you think we pay so much taxes for? It also makes it
>> possible for anyone in the country to get student loans for up to 6 years
>> with 0% interest.

Platt:
> Since the state pays for the university would it surprise you that those
> who run the university and the students who benefit from it just might be
> biased in favor of the state?


Faulty question. I mean, it is not a strange or controversial thing that the 
state funds the universities, not at all. Since the universities are to be 
politically unbounded, and there is as wide a variety of political opinions 
at the university as anywhere else it really isn't a controversy. For this 
reason I think there is few who oppose that the state funds the 
universities - if the government started to push political agendas on the 
universities I'm sure there would be a tremendous outrage right away - now 
we have a right wing government, but not even they would dream of totally 
privatizing the universities; let it be easier for companies to invest and 
sponsor the universities, sure, but not more. And the universities is 
expected to be as neutral as possible when it comes to political questions, 
so, no one sees it as a real problem, as indeed it is not.