People often extol the virtue of open-mindedness, but can there be too much of a good thing?
As a college dean, I regularly observe campus controversies about the Israel-Hamas war, race relations, and other hot-button issues. Many of these concern free speech – what students, faculty, and invited speakers should and shouldn’t be allowed to say.
But free speech disputes aren’t merely about permission to speak. They are about who belongs at the table – and whether there are limits to the viewpoints we should listen to, argue with, or allow to change our minds. As a philosopher who works on “culture war” issues, I’m particularly interested in what free-speech disputes teach about the value of open-mindedness.
