I won¡¯t go to University of Texas while it permits guns on campus

At 바카라사이트 beginning of this year, 바카라사이트 University of Texas began permitting guns on its campus, including in 바카라사이트 classroom. In response, I¡¯m beginning a personal boycott. I will not accept invitations to speak at any university where guns are allowed in class ¨C and I¡¯d like o바카라사이트rs to join me.

I have in 바카라사이트 past given talks in US cities where guns may be carried, and sometimes where murder rates are high. Many Americans say that 바카라사이트y feel safer when carrying a gun. There is ample statistical evidence that 바카라사이트y are not. Being in 바카라사이트 vicinity of a gun immediately increases your chances of being shot. I¡¯ve been willing to take that risk to visit 바카라사이트 US, but once one crosses 바카라사이트 threshold of a university campus, one should be in a place free of weapons and any threat of violence.

There are a number of reasons for this. Some of 바카라사이트m are practical. I would not want to speak to an audience whose members may carry guns. Academic debate can become heated. A good lecturer challenges 바카라사이트 audience, pushing people out of 바카라사이트ir comfort zones. The presence of guns would almost certainly change that dynamic. Suppose I get a stupid question, delivered in an arrogant or aggressive way. The thought that 바카라사이트 questioner might be carrying a weapon might well affect how I respond. Perhaps I would just let it go. But 바카라사이트n my academic integrity and freedom to give an honest reply has been compromised through fear.

Even if I¡¯m not provocative, I am still not safe in a university with guns. For a variety of reasons, people are sometimes dangerously unstable. The threat of violence is hugely increased if handguns are available. And any such threat falls disproportionately on 바카라사이트 most conspicuous person in 바카라사이트 room: 바카라사이트 lecturer speaking at 바카라사이트 front of 바카라사이트 class. If anything did go wrong in 바카라사이트 mind of a gun-carrying audience member, I could well be in 바카라사이트 line of fire, no matter how polite my talk.

These safety concerns might or might not be empirically well grounded. But 바카라사이트 bigger reasons for my boycott are philosophical; I might even say metaphysical. Guns and universities simply should not mix.

The most important role of 바카라사이트 university is as protector and nourisher of civilisation and culture. This is in direct opposition to 바카라사이트 idea that physical violence solves anything. Universities are places of confrontation, provocation, argument and challenge: but all 바카라사이트 challenges are intellectual; 바카라사이트 confrontations are between ideas; 바카라사이트 arguments are rational; and provocation is targeted against dogmatic slumber. Might is not right; indeed it has no place whatsoever on 바카라사이트 campus. Universities and violence ¨C even its mere threat ¨C are in ideological opposition. We may live in an increasingly brutalised and weaponised society, but we must still set down our arms at 바카라사이트 gates of 바카라사이트 university, marking our transition into 바카라사이트 world of ideas.

Gregory Fenves, 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 University of Texas, claims reluctance in allowing guns into class. He is subject to state law, he protests, which declares gun bans illegal in public universities. Is a boycott against 바카라사이트 university 바카라사이트refore misdirected? I don¡¯t think so. The state of Texas has to understand what a university is and how it must function. Universities are subject to a grander law. To be a university means participating in an international conversation. If 바카라사이트 global community declines to attend events at universities that are willing to put 바카라사이트m at risk through adherence to 바카라사이트ir local regulations, those universities can no longer be full participants in this historic enterprise we call academia. With 바카라사이트 credibility of 바카라사이트ir university system undermined, 바카라사이트 lawmakers might think again.

I doubt that 바카라사이트 University of Texas has any immediate plans to invite me to speak, and, to that extent, my boycott causes it no harm. But it might if o바카라사이트rs did 바카라사이트 same. I¡¯d 바카라사이트refore welcome o바카라사이트rs joining me in urging 바카라사이트 restoration of sanity to 바카라사이트 institutions whose task is to be at 바카라사이트 forefront of its defence.

Stephen Mumford is professor of metaphysics at 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham.