　〈「学者の国会」とも呼ばれる日本学術会議を法人化する法案について、学術会議の総会は15日、独立性や自主性への懸念を払拭できていないとして、国会に対して法案の修正を求める決議を賛成多数で承認した。（改行）議案は会員有志56人が提案していた。政府の法人化方針や法案の撤回までは求めない一方、2020年の任命拒否問題以来続く政府主導の組織改編に抵抗の意思を示した形だ。（以下略）〉

　さて、この学術会議問題に私がなぜ注意をはらっているかといえば、これは偏に学者だけの問題ではなく、大学の独立性と自主性が政府介入によって失われるということは、真理の科学的探究の基盤が危うくなり擬似科学（フェイク）、すなわち査読が無い論考や気ままな感情が澎湃し、人心錯乱ひいては社会混乱に陥ちること必定だからである。感情的な社会というのは、いわば「神話世界」のようなもので、時の政権がもっとも支配しやすい。人々が信じやすい「神話」に沿った一つの物語（筋書き）を政策として放り込めばよいからである。そのことは太平洋戦争に突入していった社会状況に示されている。学問の自由から遠ざけられた国民は、すでに物事を多様な視点から見ることや考える能力を失っているのである。そして、国民がこの境地から脱出することはきわめて難しい。

　そんな日本の現状のさなか、アメリカ合衆国において、トランプ大統領がハーバード大学に対して助成金凍結の脅しをかけた。ハーバード大学が「反ユダヤ主義」の学生をかかえている、というのが理由である。過日、ハーバード大学において、イスラエルがガザに対して実行している非道な虐待と爆撃に対して抗議するデモがあり、学生が逮捕された。トランプ大統領はこの抗議を「反ユダヤ主義」と理解し、その「報復」としてハーバード大学が「善処」しないなら、国からの助成金を凍結する、と通達したのである。より明確にその連邦政府の要求を述べれば、「学生、教職員の見解を〈監査〉すること、そしてイデオロギー的見解を理由に標的とされている特定の学生、教職員、管理職の〈権限を縮小〉すること」などが含まれている。
　このトランプ大統領の「脅迫」に対して、ハーバード大学は「大学の独立性ならびに学問の自由を守る」と、大学側は法律顧問を通じて合衆国政府の要求を拒否した。
　ハーバード大学の姿勢はまことにみごとである、と私は思う。以下に掲げるのは、『アメリカの高等教育の約束』と題して、ハーバード大学が学長名義で出した公開書簡である。ハーバード大学学長事務室ニュースから引用した。

【追記】トランプ大統領は追い討ちをかけるようにハーバード大学に対して免税資格を剥奪し、さらに4月16日、留学生受け入れ資格の剥奪を警告した。

The Promise of American Higher Education

Dear Members of the Harvard Community,

For three-quarters of a century, the federal government has awarded grants and contracts to Harvard and other universities to help pay for work that, along with investments by the universities themselves, has led to groundbreaking innovations across a wide range of medical, engineering, and scientific fields. These innovations have made countless people in our country and throughout the world healthier and safer. In recent weeks, the federal government has threatened its partnerships with several universities, including Harvard, over accusations of antisemitism on our campuses. These partnerships are among the most productive and beneficial in American history. New frontiers beckon us with the prospect of life-changing advances—from treatments for diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and diabetes, to breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, quantum science and engineering, and numerous other areas of possibility. For the government to retreat from these partnerships now risks not only the health and well-being of millions of individuals but also the economic security and vitality of our nation.

Late Friday night, the administration issued an updated and expanded list of demands, warning that Harvard must comply if we intend to “maintain [our] financial relationship with the federal government.” It makes clear that the intention is not to work with us to address antisemitism in a cooperative and constructive manner. Although some of the demands outlined by the government are aimed at combating antisemitism, the majority represent direct governmental regulation of the “intellectual conditions” at Harvard.

I encourage you to read the letter to gain a fuller understanding of the unprecedented demands being made by the federal government to control the Harvard community. They include requirements to “audit” the viewpoints of our student body, faculty, staff, and to “reduc[e] the power” of certain students, faculty, and administrators targeted because of their ideological views. We have informed the administration through our legal counsel that we will not accept their proposed agreement . The University will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights.

The administration’s prescription goes beyond the power of the federal government. It violates Harvard’s First Amendment rights and exceeds the statutory limits of the government’s authority under Title VI. And it threatens our values as a private institution devoted to the pursuit, production, and dissemination of knowledge. No government—regardless of which party is in power—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.

Our motto—Veritas, or truth—guides us as we navigate the challenging path ahead. Seeking truth is a journey without end. It requires us to be open to new information and different perspectives, to subject our beliefs to ongoing scrutiny, and to be ready to change our minds. It compels us to take up the difficult work of acknowledging our flaws so that we might realize the full promise of the University, especially when that promise is threatened.

We have made it abundantly clear that we do not take lightly our moral duty to fight antisemitism. Over the past fifteen months, we have taken many steps to address antisemitism on our campus. We plan to do much more. As we defend Harvard, we will continue to:

⚫︎ nurture a thriving culture of open inquiry on our campus; develop the tools, skills, and practices needed to engage constructively with one another; and broaden the intellectual and viewpoint diversity within our community;

⚫︎ affirm the rights qnd responsibilities we share; respect free speech and dissent while also ensuring that protest occurs in a time, place, and manner that does not interfere with teaching, learning, and research; and enhance the consistency and fairness of disciplinary processes; and

⚫︎ work together to find ways, consistent with law, to foster and support a vibrant community that exemplifies, respaects, and embraces difference. As we do, we will also continue to comply with Students For Admissions v. Harvard, which ruked that Title VI of the Civil Rights Act males it unlawful for univerasities to makedecisions "on the basis of race."

These ends will not be achieved by assertions of power, unmoored from the law, to control teaching and learning at Harvard and to dictate how we operate. The work of addressing our shortcomings, fulfilling our commitments, and embodying our values is ours to define and undertake as a community. Freedom of thought and inquiry, along with the government’s longstanding commitment to respect and protect it, has enabled universities to contribute in vital ways to a free society and to healthier, more prosperous lives for people everywhere. All of us share a stake in safeguarding that freedom. We proceed now, as always, with the conviction that the fearless and unfettered pursuit of truth liberates humanity—and with faith in the enduring promise that America's colleges and universities hold for our country and our world.

Sincerely,

Alan M. Garber

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