One issue that the Palin nomination raised that fascinates me is the use of ghostwriters. It's no secret that Palin's speech was written by someone else; in fact, the campaign disclosed the fact (apparently breaching ghostwriting etiquette, if not ghostwriting ethics). And it's no secret that the speeches, and books of a lot of public figures --DEMOCRATS as well as REPUBLICANS -- are written by someone else. It's not an ethical issue --no one's being dishonest. But how do we grapple with this? Here are my questions/comments.1. "Ghostwriting" is not always acceptable.If you hire someone to ghostwrite your paper at Notre Dame, and other schools, it's considered a form of intellectual dishonesty, and it can get you kicked out. "But I paid for it" is not considered an excuse. In academic life, at least in the humanities, the same thing holds. You need to write it if you put your name on it. What about research assistants? I would never use one to write actual text; they help find books, read and make suggestions about the solidness of argument, and the lucidity of prose--like editors do.2. In some contexts, ghostwriting is acceptable.a.Junior lawyers regularly draft letters to clients that go out over the signature of a partner in a law firm. Law clerks regularly draft opinions that go out over the name of the judge for whom they work.b. Politicians and busy public speakers have speech writers.c. Church leaders have experts, periti, who write documents.3. In some contexts, ghostwriting, while acceptable, can be confusing.a. Joe K. and Bob I. might be able to help with this, but how does the whole ghostwriting phenomenon enter into our understanding of the exercise of Church authority? It seems to me, functionally, to be a non-issue. But is it really?a. I actually believe Benedict writes a good deal of his own material. But would the people who are so inspired by his sermons and encyclicals be so personally inspired if they were written by a team of baby theologians (like law clerks)?b. How do scholars, attempting to figure out the mind of a Pope, deal with the difference between what was written by him and what was written by ghostwriters.c. How does the teaching authority work? If the teaching authority comes down, through Christ, through apostolic succession, it seems to me that we expect the mind and heart of the person to be engaged in the process of teaching. Maybe he doesn't have to write everything himself, but does he need to do more than read it and sign off?d. Ethics. If a theologian ghostwrites a document for a prelate, do they need to disclose that in praising it or not criticizing it in academic and public discourse. If you ghostwrite encyclical A, can you then, under your own name, say "Encyclical A is true moral insight, and reflects exactly what I've been saying for the past thirty years"?4. Reliance. What kind of internal cautions do we have to have in place in dealing with a ghostwritten document? For example, Sarah Palin's presence was her own. But the ideas? Maybe not. Should we treat her, and all other politicians who read ghostwritten speeches as actors? Or not?Any ideas?