The Language of Politics

I've noticed in the comments and posting that there appears to be a general skepticism about science among a few students in the class. While the main focus of this class is not evolution or human development, this is Evergreen, and we tend to address issues with an interdisciplinary approach (that includes science). I'll try to outline the main risk I see in taking the view that science in general is "arrogant," "assuming," or "exploitive," and that somehow by studying things in a scientific manner, one becomes part of a system that oppresses people and destroys the planet.

First, the wholesale rejection of science is a choice for ignorance. This is never a good idea. Even if one feels that science is responsible for lots of bad things (nuclear bombs, pollution, etc.), it seems to me that one would still want to know about it just as a form of opposition research. If you believe that knowledge = power, and only the bad people have the knowledge about how to use science as a force for evil, then they have all the power that goes with that knowledge and will be able to do evil things unimpeded. So if you care about the human condition, it would be unwise to place yourself at a disadvantage with respect to your ability to understand and influence what happens in science and its applications.

Perhaps some are not skeptical about science, but see the application of evolutionary principles to the development of the human mind as problematic. To you folks, I recommend that you become more curious about the origins of the mind. It is my view that we will learn the answers to many difficult questions by using evolutionary principles to understand how adaptations shaped our psychology. The chief motivation for me is that if we don't understand what's happening in the human mind, we don't stand much of a chance of making the kinds of choices that will result in a more peaceful, compassionate and cooperative world.

Now, to those who perhaps accept that evolution may have shaped the mind in significant ways, but are concerned that this research will be used to justify patterns of behavior that are oppressive (i.e., sexism, racism, ablism, etc.), I agree that there is a danger. We must be careful to not fall into the trap of assuming that just because a pattern of behavior is evolved, it is somehow more "natural." This is a fallacy. Humans no longer live in the environment in which they evolved, so at some level, nothing is natural any more. What we need to do is use our morals and our intellect to decide what we think is right and fair. But this is a separate question from what is true about how the mind works. I believe that we can decide what is right and fair, but we need to know about how the mind works in order to implement those principles through laws and culture.

Finally, I would simply note that there is also a danger in doing nothing: namely, the perpetuation of the same system we presently have that already oppresses women, minorities, disabled, etc. To my mind, a refusal to look for alternatives to these types of oppression is irresponsible.

Here's an essay by Kenan Malik called "Genes, Environment, and Human Freedom."

The project I would like students to complete for this class is an analysis of the language that surrounds one particular issue that is currently being debated. In particular, I'd like multiple analyses, one from each perspective that has been expressed on the issue. For example, someone could examine the issue of bilingualism in the US. At a minimum, I would expect a project on this issue to include an assessment from the point of view assimilationsists (those who feel that immigrants should learn English), as well as from the point of view of pluralists (those who feel that society should support a multi-lingual environment and the preservation of traditional cultures). Each analysis should include an in-depth description of the identity politics that are in play for each faction.

One of the tools that I would like people to employ in constructing each analysis is a concept map. From wikipedia:

A concept map is a diagram showing the relationships between concepts. Concepts are connected with labelled arrows, in a downward-branching hierarchical structure. The relationship between concepts is articulated in linking phrases, e.g., "gives rise to", "results in", "is required by," or "contributes to".

Here's an example of what a concept map looks like:

Thus, a completed project will include a prose section giving history and/or contextual information relevant to the issue, and then a series of concept maps accompanied by explanatory text describing how the concepts and terms are deployed within that perspective.

Here's another site with examples and references.

Bill Maher addresses the use of the word "elites" as a weapon to beat liberals with.

Watch it here.

The weekly roundtable discussion on Weekday (KUOW) this morning focused heavily on the Imus issue, and the issue of racism in langauge.

Listen to it here. (Scroll down to hour two.)

...on last night's discussion, here are some links that you might find interesting:

Jim Sidanius's Lab at Harvard
Franz de Waal: Are we in anthropodenial?

Also note that I've changed the readings for next week.

There is a current controversy about racist comments made by Don Imus concerning the Rutgers women's basketball team. Does anyone have any ideas about why these types of comments are tolerated, and even encouraged, by the corporations that control traditional media?

Watch this clip from Meet the Press and make a guess at why this is even being discussed. What's going on here?