Open dialogue
Published: Tue, Feb. 19, 2008 12:30AM
Modified Tue, Feb. 19, 2008 02:24AM
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closeI am an undergraduate at UNC-Chapel Hill, currently taking the same vertebrate embryology class as a student who objected to Professor Albert Harris' remark on abortion and Down syndrome.
The student said she thinks that biology is not an opinion subject and that opinion should be left out of biology courses. This is a closed-minded view of science and is fundamentally wrong. Biology is full of unanswered questions, and without opinions science would stagnate. Scientists propose different opinions and support their claims with debate -- this is how science advances. Although I may agree or disagree with Harris' opinions, the most important issue is the freedom of expression in universities.
I sympathize with the student, who was hurt by the comment, but by aggressively trying to silence Harris she threatens the open, informed dialogue that makes science so powerful and exciting.
More A Opinion
Scott Jones
Chapel Hill
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