Dateline: May 03, 2000
"SCIENCE, RELIGION & RUSSELL" > Page 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6
The Case of Singer
Of course, it should not be assumed that only religious schools suffer from such problems. Even prestigious Princeton University has had to endure protests against competent professors due to their unpopular and controversial views. Every year, Princeton appoints respected scholars as members of its tenured faculty. For 1999, they appointed Peter Singer as the DeCamp Professor in the University Center for Human Values.
Peter Singer is one of the preeminent scholars in the very contemporary field of bioethics and has served as the president of the International Association of Bioethics and edited their official journal, among many other achievements and accolades. You'd think that, as with the case of Russell, such an appointment would be popular; but as with the case of Russell, it primarily created a firestorm of protest.
To be fair, there are differences - for example, Russell's supporters argued that he wasn't hired to teach ethics and so his private views weren't so important. Singer, on the other hand, was specifically hired to teach and explain his theories about ethics. And unlike Russell, Singer was supported by the university administration and did manage to take his faculty position.
But the similarities in both cases are much more significant. With both, detractors tended to spread misinformation and misinterpretations of the positions of Singer and Russell. Both of the philosophers have promoted unpopular, iconoclastic ideas which oppose traditional views of popular wisdom and revealed religion.
Both philosophers were described by their supporters as "intellectually astute"; both were praised for the high quality of their work. And both were lauded for the fact that their work has been open to engagement and critique. Thus, regardless of whether or not you agree with either Russell or Singer, it is important to remember that they take their work seriously and are open to rational, scientific critiques of their ideas.
This stands in sharp contrast to their religious adversaries - much of Singer's opposition has arisen out of the anti-abortion movement and the religious right. The arguments raised against Singer sound just like those raised against Russell. Echoing Bishop Manning almost 50 years before, Richard Willever has written:
I really don't care what the intellectual arguments are in favor of Dr. Peter Singer's appointment to a prestigious professorship in bioethics at Princeton University. His academic credentials may be excellent and he may indeed stimulate discussion on issues of vital concern to all humanity. Nonetheless, giving a glorified soapbox to reprehnsible ideas is a mistake.
Thus, according to the opponents of both Peter Singer and Bertrand Russell, professors should only hold important positions if they advocate safe, comfortable ideas.
Fortunately, as with Russell, even some of those who disagree or dislike Singer support his appointment. Adrienne Asch, a professor from Wellesley College, has debated Peter Singer and vehemently opposes his ideas - but when asked if Princeton should rescind Singer's appointment, she has quickly answered "no."
