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Where You Read It First Sunny 49/32 THE TUFTS DAILY Est. 1980 VOLUME LX, NUMBER 36 MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2010 TUFTSDAILY.COM Harvard prof. to challenge moral assumptions BY ALEXANDRA BOGUS beyond the restrictions that liberal- Daily Editorial Board ism imposes.” The Richard E. Snyder President’s Michael Sandel, a prominent Harvard Lecture series aims to bring to cam- political philosophy professor, will on pus prominent thinkers who chal- Wednesday ask Tufts students, “What’s lenge conventional wisdom and take the right thing to do?” on “sacred cows,” according to Dean Sandel, who will deliver this semes- of Academic Affairs James Glaser. ter’s Richard E. Snyder President’s The series began in 2004 through a Lecture, has asked this question to over donation from Richard E. Snyder (A 14,000 students in his course “Justice,” ’55) and has brought a number of well- which stands as one of the most popu- known speakers to campus. lar classes ever offered at Harvard. Former speakers include for- “Professor Sandel is perhaps the most mer President of Harvard University prominent advocate of a challenge Lawrence Summers, renowned physicist to classic liberal political thought,” and global warming skeptic Freeman Philosophy Lecturer Mitchell Silver Dyson and professor and journalist said. “He thinks we need a more robust Michael Pollan, known for his often- conception of the good — shared val- provocative views on the meat industry ues beyond ‘You do what you want, and and industrialized agriculture. I’ll do what I want.’” Glaser said Sandel is a perfect can- Among a number of accomplish- didate to continue the lecture series. ments, Sandel is perhaps best known “Professor Sandel takes on all con- for his views in support of commu- troversial issues and applies … great nitarianism, a belief that individual lessons to the great philosophers,” MEREDITH KELIN/TUFTS DAILY liberties should be augmented with Glaser said. “We thought he was an Hillside Wine & Spirits bustled with business on Saturday night ahead of Halloween festivities. Many communal obligations. ideal person to bring in for the series.” alcohol vendors support Question 1, which seeks to repeal the state’s alcohol tax. His views contradict classical lib- Sandel has taught at Harvard for eralism, which Silver said has his- three decades. His courses on polit- torically been the dominant ideol- ical philosophy have linked moral Mass. ballot questions take ogy in many American institutions. issues with a wide range of topics, Classical liberals strive for nearly including biotechnology, financial complete individual liberty, believing markets and globalization. He also aim at sales, alcohol taxes that governments may impose limits lectures on contemporary moral only when one individual’s pursuits dilemmas, including same-sex mar- BY JENNY WHITE of the state alcohol tax created in May interfere with those of someone else. riage and affirmative action. Daily Editorial Board 2009, while Question 3 would decrease “He has been contending that this “He’s talking about abortion, tor- the general state sales tax from 6.25 liberal conception needs to be … aug- ture, stem cells — all kinds of stuff In advance of tomorrow’s statewide percent to 3 percent. While both ques- mented, supplemented by other val- that people don’t agree on — and elections, Massachusetts voters are tions could potentially reduce prices ues we share as communities,” Silver will shed some light on those things,” mulling over two ballot questions relat- on goods statewide, opponents argue said. “[Communitarianism] says that Glaser said. ing to state taxes. there are communal obligations that Question 1 calls for a complete repeal see BALLOT, page 2 ought to restrict us in various ways see SANDEL, page 2 Survival experts equip students with wilderness skills BY CORINNE SEGAL situation, you won’t necessar- said. “That’s something we Daily Editorial Board ily be thinking clearly,” Meer, really struggle with.” a junior, said. “Having that Drake and Hall have taught About 80 students gathered problem-solving mindset of wilderness lessons at Ithaca in Braker 001 last Thursday to wilderness survival will help College, the Adirondack learn the basics of wilderness them come up with alternative Mountain Club, the Cornell survival. solutions to fix the situation Outdoor Education program, Survival experts and educa- that they’re in.” and the Institute for Natural tors Tim Drake and Dave Hall, After the lecture, attendees Learning in Brattleboro, V.t. who co-founded Primitive participated in demonstra- Murray said Drake and Hall Pursuits, an Ithaca, N.Y.- tions of survival skills such sought to share with students based wilderness education as building fires, according to their appreciation for the great program, delivered a two- Glidden. outdoors. hour lecture co-sponsored by “I’m a [Tufts Wilderness “They just wanted everyone Tufts Mountain Club (TMC) Orientation] leader, so one to come away with the feel- and the Tufts Institute of the of my freshmen came and we ing that they could be recon- Environment. worked together as a team,” nected to nature if they really Drake and Hall discussed she said. wanted to,” she said. “It’s just a basic survival skills such as Event organizers highlighted matter of showing how impor- building shelters, finding and the opportunity for students tant it is to go outside and take treating drinking water and to get involved in TMC without a walk.” building fires, according to having to trek up to the Loj in Glidden offered praise for TMC President Lily Glidden. New Hampshire. the event. “It went great,” “They basically covered “We saw a lot of fresh- Glidden said. “I think the audi- some very basic wilderness men and a lot of people who ence was really involved.” survival techniques and talked haven’t been to the Loj before,” Murray agreed. “It was lon- about its implications today Evangelia Murray, TMC’s on- ger than I expected, but every- — why it’s important to study campus director, said. body stayed until the end. these things and what rele- Murray, a junior, said the Nobody was leaving or getting vance it has to our world,” hassle of traveling to the Loj bored,” she said. Glidden, a junior, said. prevents many students from Meer said the event piqued TMC Vice President Daniel participating in TMC activities student interest in the wilder- Meer praised the pair’s focus altogether. ness among those not involved on the mental aspects of sur- “A lot of times, it’s hard for in TMC. vival. people to get up on the week- VIRGINIA BLEDSOE/TUFTS DAILY “When you’re acting in a ends or make a sacrifice,” she see WILDERNESS, page 2 Tim Drake presented in Braker 001 on Thursday night. Inside this issue Today’s Sections Tufts administrators ‘Intelligent dance music’ News 1 Editorial | Letters 10 have noticed increased icon Squarepusher heads abuse of drugs such as in a different direction Features 3 Op-Ed 11 Adderall on campus. with his new album. Arts | Living 5Classifieds 12 Comics 9 Sports Back see FEATURES, page 3 see ARTS, page 5 2 THE TUFTS DAILY NEWS Monday, November 1, 2010 Survival experts teach students how to brave the great outdoors WILDERNESS about our natural primal instincts and continued from page 1 all the things we’re capable of doing,” “Attending the lecture was a great she said. “We’re so fixed in with all our way for students who may or may not technology and social structure and be interested to come out and find out things like that and it’s cool to recall more about an awesome field,” he said. and remember all the things we’re “I think it was nice because it was a capable of doing.” lot more open to the community that Murray said that TMC hopes to isn’t willing to leave campus and go to establish a semesterly adventure lec- the Loj,” Glidden said. “It was very easy ture series. and available to students in the greater “I think students gained a tremendous Tufts community.” amount from the lecture. I think a lot of Murray said Tufts’ urban location them came away with a much greater restricts student access to the outdoors. understanding of what wilderness sur- “Sometimes it’s all about being in vival is,” Meer said. “It really opened up the city, and sometimes we forget a whole new world to a lot of students.” Visiting the Hill this week MONDAY Middle East” “Understanding Cyberattack as an Instrument Details: Clive Lipchin, director of the Arava of U.S. Policy” Institute’s Department for Environmental Details: Herb Lin, a scientist at the Computer Policy and Research, will present on water Science and Telecommunications Board, management in the Middle East and Israel. National Research Council of the National When and Where: 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 Academies, will speak at a computer science p.m.; Lincoln Filene Center, Rabb Room colloquium. Sponsor: Tufts Institute of the Environment When and Where: 2:50 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.; COURTESY KIKU ADATTO Halligan Hall 111B WEDNESDAY Harvard Professor Michael Sandel, the author of “Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do?,” Sponsors: Department of Computer Science, “Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do?” will deliver the Snyder Lecture Wednesday afternoon. The Fletcher School Details: Harvard University Professor Michael Sandel, the author of “Justice: What’s the “How Can We Help People Develop Right Thing to Do?,” delivers the Richard Sandel to confront moral dilemmas Creativity?” E. Snyder President’s Lecture. Details: Janet Kolodner, the director of the When and Where: 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.; in Wednesday’s Snyder Lecture Cyberlearning: Transforming Education pro- Cabot Intercultural Center Auditorium gram at the National Science Foundation, will Sponsor: Office of the President SANDEL “I think he’s an extremely gifted discuss how research on human creativity and continued from page 1 teacher and lecturer,” Kaletka told the science education can inform efforts to teach THURSDAY Sandel takes on such issues in Daily.