Tuesday, January 11, 2005

New Center of Intellectual Energy?

An interesting editorial on religion in academia by Stanley Fish (hat-tip: The Buck Stops Here). I'm a little puzzled about what Fish means by 'deliberative reason' in the article.

Since I only really watch L&O: Criminal Intent anymore, I never saw the L&O episode he mentions. It strikes me as the most insanely stupid thing a prosecuting attorney could do. What sort of idiot addresses a largely Jewish jury on the assumption that if they are conscientiously Jewish they will commit themselves to justifying anything done in the name of Israel and the Jewish people? Perhaps I am missing something.

UPDATE: Miriam in the comments notes that I am: in context, McCoy's point was that it was the defense that was assuming that Jews would commit themselves in this way. This makes so much more sense!