University needs to apply the chaos theory
On the front cover there was a big headline about a Robert Fisk interview inside. He delivered a graduate lecture earlier in the year, stereotypical post 9/11 stuff. There were four to five pages devoted to this, with commentary, interview, photos and a special presentation from UCC.
The thing is, I was in UCC lately and saw posters everywhere, 'Stop the Nazi.' A British National Party (BNP) member is due over next month and the place is in uproar, with public meetings on campus to prevent it happening.
So it seems that freedom of speech and the red carpet may be extended to an apologist for Palestinian extremists, but there's no freedom of speech for another viewpoint, however distasteful it maybe.
I was in UCC to hear a public lecture on a scientific principle generally known as 'chaos.' Basically, science is only now embracing the idea that interactions in nature are unpredictable and we should not be so focused on seeking simple deterministic solutions to all the phenomena we see about us everyday.
A frequent comment made in the discussion afterwards was how institutions need to embrace this unpredictability basically to open people's minds, make them accept that they don't know the answers, but should still question everything. Which brings me back to my first point: UCC will open minds but only to what they deem acceptable.
Michael Hurley,
Glenbower,
Crookstown,
Co Cork.
