The Ethics of Controversy by Sidney Hook
The Ethics of Controversy Sidney Hook, 1954 The Ground Rules of Controversy in a Democracy: 1. Nothing and no one is immune from criticism. 2. Everyone involved in a controversy has an intellectual responsibility to inform himself (sic.) of the available facts. 3. Criticism should be directed first to policies, and against persons only when they are responsible for policies, and against their motives or purposes only when there is some independent evidence of their character. 4. Because certain words are legally permissible, they are not therefore morally permissible. 5. BEFORE impugning an opponent’s motives, even when they legitimately be impugned, answer his arguments. 6. Do not treat an opponent of a policy as if he were therefore a personal enemy or an enemy of the country or a concealed enemy of ...