Why Debate Fuels Science and Democracy

How are science and democracy alike? Danielle Allen, James Bryant Conant University Professor at Harvard, describes how both need respectful debate and conversation in order to function. She asserts that debates can be strongly felt and impassioned, but a core respect for the other person must be maintained. There should also be a respect for the institutions that make decisions based on those debates, such as elections. She emphasizes that in both science and democracy, someone can win a debate, but that does not mean the results will not change as the conversation continues.