As a society, inevitably, we must often take a position on questions, on issues, new and sometimes divisive and controversial, which impose themselves on us. In short: we must navigate unknown seas.
These days, artificial intelligence, with everything that is and will be at stake and which we often ignore, is a good example. In this case and in all others, we must exercise rigor and caution.
Suppose you have to set up a committee which will look into such a divisive and controversial subject, how will you go about it?
Basic rules of informed decision making
To begin, you may want to know all the relevant facts as best you can. Everything that can help will therefore be put to use, starting with science. Ignorance, propaganda, censorship, prejudice, bias are great enemies here.
But you will quickly see that relying on facts alone is not enough. For example, there will be disagreements about the relevant facts which must therefore be taken into account. But also, and very quickly, the essential question of the values to defend and embody in policies will arise.
This delicate question cannot be resolved simply by invoking the facts and it will inevitably give rise to debate. You will quickly have to conclude that, whatever you do, there will be dissatisfied people, especially since people and groups have strong and militant positions on these subjects, sometimes even contrary to the best established facts.
You will undoubtedly conclude that a broad and free discussion is required on the facts to take into account and the values to embody. And also, and this is as certain as it is important, that whatever position you adopt, there will be dissatisfied people.
Are you there? Have you formed your committee? Let’s call it a committee of wise men.
Well, it’s even more complicated than you thought. Because the decisions you will have to make concern the school and will apply there.
Which changes and complicates many things.
Wisdom and school
The school is a civic place where children are educated, that is to say beings who are not yet citizens, autonomous adults. We must take into account everything that this implies, and in particular the fact that these schoolchildren, these students, must be protected against anything that could harm them and harm the development of their autonomy.
You will need to have this in mind, in addition to everything else, to form your committee.
Here again, you will want to rely on the most solidly established knowledge and on the broadest possible discussion between people aware of what school is and what that implies to choose the values to embody.
Do you have your committee? It will necessarily make people unhappy.
This is what is happening right now with the committee of elders on gender identity.
In my opinion…
Did a trans or non-binary person have to be part of it? There are arguments in favor of this choice and also arguments against it. Whatever decision was made, it could only make people unhappy.
For my part, I would have liked a biologist to be on this committee, capable of recalling everything that is known with confidence about sex. There is a doctor who probably knows all this.
I suggest that, rather than debating, which is in any case useless, the composition of this committee, we prepare to carefully follow its work and evaluate the recommendations it will result in armed with the guidelines that I named above.
The committee of wise men must, in everything it does, show that it knows and takes into account, as is necessary, all the best established relevant facts, particularly by science. This of course concerns biology in particular, but also what we have learned from years of implementing sex and gender practices in many countries.
He will also have to, for anyone to take him seriously, show that he clearly distinguishes facts from values, that he will have held a broad consultation on this unavoidable subject through which he will have heard all the positions and that he is capable to justify the choices he will make.
Finally, this committee must show that it has carefully taken into account the fact that what it is proposing concerns children and school, with all that this implies and which is immense, even vital.
For my part, I will let this committee work and judge its work with these measuring instruments in mind.
And I will decide from there whether or not it deserves the name of committee of wise men.
Doctor of philosophy, doctor of education and columnist, Normand Baillargeon has written, directed or translated and edited more than seventy works.