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Re: Controversial Paleontologist



The fear, I suppose, is that that will eventually happen after the person is beyond your control. Would a Chemistry department support a student who argued against atomic theory? A theology department an atheist? It would take one hell of an open-minded faculty, I'll grant you that.

-----Original Message-----
From: npharris@umich.edu
To: rpnr@ix.netcom.com
Cc: dinosaur@usc.edu
Sent: Wed, 14 Feb 2007 5:03 PM
Subject: Controversial Paleontologist

Quoting Richard Peirce <rpnr@ix.netcom.com>:Â
Â
There's a story in today's New York Times about a fellow, Marcus
Ross, whoÂ
recently was granted a Ph.D. In vert paleo from the University of
RhodeÂ
Island. Incredible? No, it's for real.Â
Â
Stepping around the specific topic at hand, if someone were to master all the analytical skills necessary to write a good dissertation on how the fluid dynamics of earth's (spherical) outer core give rise to the planet's magnetic field, I would have no problem with granting that person a Ph.D. in geophysics, even if in his/her heart of hearts, s/he believed the earth to be flat.Â
Â
Now, if said person were to go out on the stump saying things like "The earth is flat. I know; I've got a Ph.D. in geophysics," where what the person was claiming fundamentally clashed with the nature of the work that earned the degree, then we would have a problem.Â
Â
-- Nick PharrisÂ
Department of LinguisticsÂ
University of MichiganÂ
Â
"Creativity is the sudden cessation of stupidity."Â
 --Edwin H. LandÂ



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