Sokal et al
Jones Emily R
ejones at brynmawr.edu
Thu Dec 5 14:29:40 CST 1996
On Thu, 5 Dec 1996, Cal McInvale wrote:
> At 7:23 AM -0800 12/5/96, Diana York Blaine wrote:
>
> I am fascinated by all
> of it, the resistance to humanities-types talking science, the arrogance
> of Andrew Ross in refusing to admit he screwed up, etc. I'm not sure why
> we don't have the right to know fields beyond our own as long as we're
> willing to do the research--yet the "hard" sciences seem to have a
> privileged position from which they can dismiss the critiques coming from
> those of us in the humanities, a very masculine/feminine issue, on some
> level ("Because I am your FATHER, that's WHY".)
>
> It's not a question of "rights." It's simply a matter of training and
> experience. Those trained to "do science" are apt to "do science" better
> than those trained in the humanities. Experience in the field further
> widens the gap.
>
> Sure, one can "do the research" and perhaps offer an informed (as opposed
> to their previous) opinions on scientific matters. Certainly one would be
> in a position to ask precise questions at that point. No good scientist
> would object to this; in fact, most of us would praise anyone who did so,
> the state of scientific education being so poor these days. But it is a
> question of "how much" -- you don't expect to be able to build a bridge,
> solve Fermat's Last Theorem or fully comprehend quantum electrodynamics
> just by reading a few books, do you?
Pardon my intrusion-- I've been lurking only a few days now (and I had
really wanted my first post to be about Pynchon)-- but I couldn't help but
note the science/humanity argument here... I'm taking a class now that is
both science and english, and, though extremely cynical at first, i have
grown to love it... We began, in fact, by reading C. P. Snow's _The Two
Cultures_-- apparently there still exists a schism between the disciplines.
Might want to check it out? Or maybe I can tell more?
At any rate, nice meeting all of you!
Jonesy
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