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| University of Bologna (1088) |
Since the foundation of the Western universities,
starting at the eleventh century, these centers soon became places for debate,
where different topics of discussion were raised by two or more specialists who
defended the different sides of the issue to be discussed, after which the
audience could decide for one or the other position, or for both at once.
This debating
function of the universities has persisted for many centuries (we are near turning
a millennium). Now, however, political correctness, this new
form of censorship, threatens to end this activity in the universities.
Consider
the headline of the
story:
Oregon State University Socratic Club
Debate Cancelled
And the first
paragraph:
