Minding the World features translated articles from the Observatory of University Ethics, a collective of volunteer academics led by Xavier-Laurent Salvador of the Sorbonne. This column offers international perspectives on higher education aligned with Minding the Campus’s mission, championing independent thought, intellectual diversity, and the preservation of critical reflection.
Editor’s Note: The following is an article originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on January 25, 2025. It was translated into English from French by the Observatory before being edited to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. San Jose State University Elizabeth Weiss, a physical anthropologist and professor […]
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Editor’s Note: The following is an article originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on June 29, 2023. It was translated into English from French by the Observatory before being edited to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. The American and international media have recently echoed a […]
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Editor’s Note: The following is an article originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on March 22, 2022. It was translated into English from French by the Observatory before being edited to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. “Why is it written like that?” All teachers know that children ask […]
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Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt of an article originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on December 18, 2024. It was translated into English by the Observatory before being edited to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. What is the purpose of “gender studies”? Reading its followers, […]
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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on May 11, 2024. It was translated into English by the Observatory before being edited to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. Recently, the end-of-year medical exam at Sorbonne Paris Nord University was the subject of a lively […]
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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on November 3, 2024. It was translated into English by the Observatory before being edited to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. Academic freedom requires that we be free to choose our research topics, but like any freedom, […]
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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on December 3, 2024. It was translated into English by the Observatory before being edited to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. Our fellow philosopher and contributor to this site, Alexandre Portier, Minister Delegate for Educational Success in […]
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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on August 1, 2024. It was translated into English by the Observatory before being edited to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. There is a lot of talk these days about “academic freedom,” but it is mostly to […]
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Imagine if a university faculty member claimed to have developed a vaccine for the common cold but refused to present her methods or evidence publicly. How would the university react? With intense suspicion. Why? Because if an idea isn’t publicly explained, then it can’t be falsified. Falsifiability is the possibility of finding evidence that contradicts […]
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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by the Observatory of University Ethics on November 17, 2024. It was translated into English by the Observatory before being edited to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. There is no stopping progress in the invention of new woke causes intended […]
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Editor’s Note: This article, originally published in French by the Observatory of University Ethics on March 4, 2022, was translated into English by the Observatory before being edited to align with Minding the Campus’s style guidelines. It is crossposted here with permission. The expression “glass ceiling” is a polysemic metaphor, at least in its use. […]
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