A propos this, the Times of London has published this letter today:

Sir,

We were dismayed to learn that Dr Nathan Cofnas, a researcher in Cambridge University’s Faculty of Philosophy and Research Associate at Emmanuel College, is to be expelled from the College and is the subject of investigations by the Faculty and the Leverhulme Trust on the ground that he made controversial comments about race and academic ability (“Cambridge in free-speech row over researcher’s ‘race realism’ blog”, Apr 19).

The initial response of Cambridge University to this controversy seems to us to have been completely correct. Professor Bhaskar Vira, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education, issued a statement that began with the following passage: “Freedom of speech within the law is a right that sits at the heart of the University of Cambridge. We encourage our community to challenge ideas they disagree with and engage in rigorous debate.” Given this, we do not understand why the Philosophy Faculty is conducting an investigation. Members of the College or University who disagree with Dr Cofnas’s views could issue statements repudiating those views and explaining why they believe them to be mistaken.

We urge Emmanuel College to reverse its decision and the Philosophy Faculty and the Leverhulme Trust to call off their investigations. There is nothing here to investigate.

This should not need to be said, but given the current climate we would like to add that signing this letter does not indicate endorsement of Dr Cofnas’s views.

Yours faithfully,

Roger Crisp (Professor of Moral Philosophy, University of Oxford)

Marie Daouda (Lecturer in French, Oriel College, University of Oxford)

Sir Partha Dasgupta FBA FRS (Frank Ramsey Professor of Economics Emeritus, University of Cambridge)

Paul Elbourne (Professor of the Philosophy of Language, University of Oxford)

Jonathan Glover, (Professor, Centre of Medical Law and Ethics, King’s College, London)

Coleman Hughes (author and political commentator)

Matthew Kramer FBA (Professor of Legal & Political Philosophy, Cambridge University)

Brian Leiter (Karl N. Llewellyn Professor of Jurisprudence, University of Chicago)

Jeff McMahan AAAS (Sekyra and White’s Professor of Moral Philosophy, University of Oxford)

Francesca Minerva (Associate Professor of Moral Philosophy, University of Milan)

Steven Pinker AAAS (Johnstone Family Professor of Psychology, Harvard University)

Robert Plomin FBA (Professor of Behavioural Genetics, King’s College London)

Peter Singer AC (Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics, Princeton University)

Amia Srinivasan (Chichele Professor of Social and Political Theory, University of Oxford)