tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070355695530434450.post7178148991685847157..comments2024-03-14T04:16:20.472-07:00Comments on In Socrates' Wake: Should teachers of controversial issues disclose their opinions?Michael Cholbihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02012523929044363216noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070355695530434450.post-68196161876543986442014-03-04T10:09:56.536-08:002014-03-04T10:09:56.536-08:00I'll second Mike's recommendation to look ...I'll second Mike's recommendation to look back at the 2007 discussion. The comment I made there still reflects my own views: disclosing and advocating need to be distinguished, and I think the former is relatively unproblematic, the latter more so. A couple of points to add to Harry's post:<br /><br />1. I think one advantage of disclosing/advocating is that it can make philosophical issues personal in a good way. I find that I can sometimes provoke students and engage their interest if I articulate my own views very directly.<br />2. On occasion, I tell students that my job includes evoking disagreement with me while also providing them the tools to rationally confront and scrutinize those disagreements. I can't be sure to what extent I succeed in this, but as a model of philosophy pedagogy, it's awfully attractive. Michael Cholbihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02012523929044363216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8070355695530434450.post-52777704878861917002014-03-04T08:06:37.456-08:002014-03-04T08:06:37.456-08:00Both disclosure and advocacy are issues I struggle...Both disclosure and advocacy are issues I struggle with as a teacher. I tend to avoid both of these, in part for the reasons you give. However, at times I will disclose, and explain why I hold the view I do. My introductory ethics course is usually about 35 students, so perhaps in this environment the problems with disclosure are mitigated. When I do disclose my view, I also explain that these are controversial issues, and intelligent people, including people more intelligent than I am, disagree on them. In upper division courses, I usually do disclose my view. When people in society discuss controversial moral issues, they will disclose and advocate, and I think an upper division course is a good place to model and practice these skills.<br /><br />I posted on these topics here, in case anyone is interested: <br />http://insocrateswake.blogspot.com/2007/08/should-professors-share-or-advocate.htmlMike Austinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02489700864050607425noreply@blogger.com