Free and open inquiry is a human condition—it is established, maintained, and protected by humans. It is not a natural force that we can harness, nor a natural right that we inherit, nor is it a natural resource that we can mine. I believe that free inquiry is essential to the development of mankind, and I also believe academic freedom and the protection of academic freedom are essential. This paper elaborates upon these thoughts and outlines some of the risks to (...) free inquiry. (shrink)