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From: lmc@denelcor.UUCP (Lyle McElhaney)
Newsgroups: net.origins
Subject: Re: Pinking Shears Update
Message-ID: <735@denelcor.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 13-Apr-85 10:40:46 EST
Article-I.D.: denelcor.735
Posted: Sat Apr 13 10:40:46 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 18-Apr-85 03:09:16 EST
References: <888@uwmacc.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Denelcor, Aurora, Colorado
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> 
> At this point, I almost expect to see a reply on the order of "oh
> sure, you SAY you wrote to Macbeth", or "sure, he SAYS he forwarded
> the letter, but how do we know?"  Strictly speaking, you don't.  But
> do you REALLY think that the whole thing is just made up?  Granted,
> it's just a single incident.

Oh, Lord, Paul, I don't really think that anyone is really on your case
concerning the *truth* of the incident; I knew a number of professors in
grad school that were very good teachers, but who had this quirk (you
name it: sadism, male chauvinism, racism, personal hatreds and prejudices)
that twisted their personal lives (and even invaded their professional lives)
but didn't invalidate the things they taught.  They are human, after all.
I can see the incident happening; the real question is what does it mean
with respect to scientific attitudes in general? It is well known that
many senior scientists and professors are arrogant, petty and dogmatic;
does that make creationism any more palatable?
-- 
Lyle McElhaney
{hao, stcvax, brl-bmd, nbires, csu-cs} !denelcor!lmc