Analei Morris
08/04/23
Academic Freedom in the US
In my personal definition, philosophy is a way of approaching and understanding the
world through internal wisdom and/or education. We can date the world's best philosophers all
the way back to ancient Greece like Aristotle and Epicurus. This intellectual movement of
philosophical thought changed the way we see the world and expanded our minds to many
possibilities. According to the University of Texas, Philosophy broadens the range of things one
can understand and enjoy. It can give one self-knowledge, foresight, and a sense of direction in
life. It can provide, to one's reading and conversation, special pleasures of insight. It can lead to
self-discovery, expansion of consciousness, and self-renewal.” As humans, we are constantly
trying to make sense of this fascinating planet we call Earth. Math, biology, physics, poetry,
political science, and astronomy are all considered to be educational tools in philosophy. These
tools can help create theories that create new thoughts and questions or data that can prove it.
Philosophy goes hand in hand with academics for the sole reason that most of the
teachings come from some of the most famous historical philosophers like Albert Einstein, John
Locke, Jane Addams and so on. The more you grow in your academic career, the easier it will be
to form your own opinions and even have a philosophy of your own. This is trivial for students
because according to jmu.edu, “The study of philosophy enhances a person's problem-solving
capacities. It helps us to analyze concepts, definitions, arguments, and problems. It contributes to
our capacity to organize ideas and issues, to deal with questions of value, and to extract what is
essential from large quantities of information.” Through my own findings not only has it made
me feel more capable but also worthy.
Through different methods of teaching, fascinated students and scholars present questions
that pertain to the world like environment, health, poverty, justice, and even their own identity.
Through establishments like universities students are able to lengthen their knowledge.
According to asccc.org “Academic freedom encourages the study of subjects not from one
particular viewpoint or paradigm but rather from that “multitude of tongues” identified by the
Supreme Court. Just as all professors are unique individuals with their own socio-political and
cultural views, the ways in which they present their subject matter are also unique. A professor in
an art history class, for example, may choose to focus a study on the nineteenth century
American art movement, the Hudson River School, through a romantic lens and discuss with
students how the collective works reflect humanity’s ability to tame and co-exist harmoniously
with nature. Conversely, another professor focusing on the same subject may choose to discuss
this very same movement with students but through a post-colonial lens that emphasizes the
differences in the depiction of Native-Americans and Anglo-American colonizers and identifies
the relationship between these depictions and westward expansionism and manifest destiny. In
either case, the subject matter remains the same, but because each professor has the academic
freedom to shape curriculum through the use of different theoretical lenses, the focus and
discussions related to this subject will differ. Through an analysis of these differences that is
driven by scholarly theoretical frameworks, students can then engage these ideas in a process of
critical comparison both inside the classroom among their peers and professors as well as on
their own. Collectively, these differing interpretations work to give students a more complex and
comprehensive understanding of the subject, and, within the context of a classroom environment,
allow them to gain that “independent critical judgment” identified by the AAC&U." From this
very extensive source, that I couldn't have said better, we can come to the conclusion that within
higher learning there are multiple opportunities to not only create your own personality within
your learnings but to also be comfortable to spread it to other hungry minds.
Academic freedom is the freedom to pursue the truth through open inquiry, exploration,
and experimentation. Almost all of the bigger questions that Philosophers pose strikes up a lot of
thought and are sometimes in an open ended circumstance. While this might be an anxiety
inducing situation, academic freedom allows various forms of it on interesting concepts that are
sometimes difficult to grasp like, the nature of our reality or quantum physics. Through higher
pedagogy and investigating we are able to explore our own conjectures with the intent to make
sense of it all. I believe that college is a place of self discovery and reinvention. We are just mere
adolescent minds compared to exercising you to your brain while in an outstanding institution
like Arizona State University. Not only do the professors engage us students in profound critical
learning but we are also able to bounce ideas off of our peers and classmates who appreciate
higher learning just as much as everyone else. It's quite a magical experience and my only hope
is that anyone who has the opportunity to go to a University takes it. As an individual, I don't
know where I’d be intellectually if I didn't further my schooling career at Arizona State. Being
able to question and learn more about myself has led me to taking a deeper look not only in
myself but everything around me. Taking that deeper look can transform your thought patterns
and even how you handle social situations or interpersonal relationships. A very motivating quote
from gazelle.org says, “The attachment to a certain manner of living can be difficult to serve.
With so many new stimuli to take in during college, there are a lot of mental processes that occur
in becoming more autonomous and responsible. From a social standpoint, some also find it
unsettling to suddenly be leading such different lives from friends back home. Completely
different classes, professors and requirements as well as shifting ideas of life after college
encourage students to pursue a somewhat self-centered daily set of activities. Suddenly, it has
become extremely important to focus on choices and how they shape our individuality.”
Works Cited
Curry, Stephanie. “Academic Freedom & Equity.” ASCCC,
www.asccc.org/content/academic-freedom-and-equity. Accessed 4 Aug. 2023.
Morris, Analei. “Graduate School.” Graduate School | The University of Texas at Austin,
gradschool.utexas.edu/. Accessed 4 Aug. 2023.
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