Well, first of all, no professor should be able to say, I refuse to defend my position. I refuse to debate my position.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
I never misrepresent my position - you've got to be strong enough to make the argument and marshal the case.
If you disagree with me about a position I have taken, or what I've done, tell me, argue with me, debate. Sometimes, right and good are not that clear; at other times, it is only deliberate and respectful debate that leads us to understand what road we should take.
You've never seen me debate anybody. On anything. Ever. My investment of time, as an educator, in my judgment, is best served teaching people how to think about the world around them. Teach them how to pose a question. How to judge whether one thing is true versus another. What the laws of physics say.
If I disagree with someone, I let them have their say and move on. I don't want to be the one to lecture.
As a teacher, my strategy is to encourage questioning. I'm the least authoritarian professor you'll ever meet.
I dislike conflict, so I do try and steer clear of arguments. Apart from with my coach. Who I literally have an argument with every day.
Professors simply can't discuss a thing. Habit compels them to deliver a lecture.
The difficult part in an argument is not to defend one's opinion but rather to know it.
Be able to defend your arguments in a rational way. Otherwise, all you have is an opinion.
I love argument, I love debate. I don't expect anyone just to sit there and agree with me, that's not their job.