In this essay, GMU professor Dan Klein makes a good case in favor of ideological openness. That is, he thinks that professors ought to alert their students to their philosophical frameworks rather than trying to keep them hidden.

Why? Klein writes, “There is courtesy in telling your students your ideological views. It alerts them to watch out for whether you give counterarguments short shrift. It invites them to think critically about how your ideological sensibilities affect the lesson.”

Of course, Klein is not arguing for ideological browbeating of students, but just letting them know in advance how the professor sees the world. I think he’s right — there is virtue in that.