https://jtkim.dreamhosters.com/jtkwiki/index.php?title=Category:Academia&feed=atom&action=historyCategory:Academia - Revision history2024-03-29T13:35:12ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.34.2https://jtkim.dreamhosters.com/jtkwiki/index.php?title=Category:Academia&diff=375&oldid=prevJtkim at 16:39, 6 September 20182018-09-06T16:39:52Z<p></p>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>A truly academic approach takes into account the full spectrum from the proximal to the ultimate. One aspect that is true is that accepting myopic restrictions to proximal aspects is not acceptable from an academic perspective. It is, however, wrong to assume that a restriction to proximal aspects makes sense at all. Some principled knowledge and approach, based on fundamentals and ultimate principles, is necessary for any pragmatic work.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>A truly academic approach takes into account the full spectrum from the proximal to the ultimate. One aspect that is true is that accepting myopic restrictions to proximal aspects is not acceptable from an academic perspective. It is, however, wrong to assume that a restriction to proximal aspects makes sense at all. Some principled knowledge and approach, based on fundamentals and ultimate principles, is necessary for any pragmatic work.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"></ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"></ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">== Some Relevant Resources ==</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"></ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">* The [http://bulliedintobadscience.org/ Bullied into Bad Science Campaign]</ins></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[Category:peace]]</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[Category:peace]]</div></td></tr>
</table>Jtkimhttps://jtkim.dreamhosters.com/jtkwiki/index.php?title=Category:Academia&diff=245&oldid=prevJtkim at 09:43, 12 September 20112011-09-12T09:43:30Z<p></p>
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<td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #222; text-align: center;">Revision as of 09:43, 12 September 2011</td>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>== Basic Concept ==</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>== Basic Concept ==</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>All humans need [[information]] as a basis for making informed decisions, and thus ultimately to pursue happiness and to lead a good life in general. This information pertains to [[reality]]. The objective of academic work is to provide such information, with as little bias as possible.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>All humans need [[information]] as a basis for making informed decisions, and thus ultimately to pursue happiness and to lead a good life in general. This information pertains to [[reality]]. The objective of academic work is to provide such information, with as little bias as possible<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">. Freedom from bias requires [[Academic Freedom|academic freedom]]</ins>.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
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</table>Jtkimhttps://jtkim.dreamhosters.com/jtkwiki/index.php?title=Category:Academia&diff=243&oldid=prevJtkim at 09:41, 12 September 20112011-09-12T09:41:29Z<p></p>
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<td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #222; text-align: center;">Revision as of 09:41, 12 September 2011</td>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>A truly academic approach takes into account the full spectrum from the proximal to the ultimate. One aspect that is true is that accepting myopic restrictions to proximal aspects is not acceptable from an academic perspective. It is, however, wrong to assume that a restriction to proximal aspects makes sense at all. Some principled knowledge and approach, based on fundamentals and ultimate principles, is necessary for any pragmatic work.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>A truly academic approach takes into account the full spectrum from the proximal to the ultimate. One aspect that is true is that accepting myopic restrictions to proximal aspects is not acceptable from an academic perspective. It is, however, wrong to assume that a restriction to proximal aspects makes sense at all. Some principled knowledge and approach, based on fundamentals and ultimate principles, is necessary for any pragmatic work.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"></ins></div></td></tr>
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</table>Jtkimhttps://jtkim.dreamhosters.com/jtkwiki/index.php?title=Category:Academia&diff=242&oldid=prevJtkim at 09:40, 12 September 20112011-09-12T09:40:46Z<p></p>
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<td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #222; text-align: center;">Revision as of 09:40, 12 September 2011</td>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Academic <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">freedom </del>is <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">freedom from any influence (e.g. direction, coercion), so that academic </del>work is <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">only </del>informed by <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">reality. It is thus not a "perk", it is a fundamental necessary prerequisite</del>.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Academic <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">work </ins>is work <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">which </ins>is informed by <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">nothing but the object of inquiry</ins>.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">Metaphorically, academic freedom is like the freedom of </del>a <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">compass needle to freely revolve around its pivot. As the needle's position should be informed only by the earth's magnetic field, academic work should only be </del>informed <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">by the object of inquiry. A compass needle that is stuck</del>, and thus <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">not free, can be made </del>to <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">show any direction as "north", but does not provide any </del>[[<del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">information</del>]] <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">about the true north</del>. <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">Likewise, </del>academic work <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">that </del>is <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">led (or manipulated or otherwise informed) by factors that do not originate from the object of study does not </del>provide information <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">about the object of study</del>, <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">and thus does not further human understanding of [[reality]]</del>.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">== Basic Concept ==</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">All humans need [[information]] as </ins>a <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">basis for making </ins>informed <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">decisions</ins>, and thus <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">ultimately to pursue happiness and to lead a good life in general. This information pertains </ins>to [[<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">reality</ins>]]. <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">The objective of </ins>academic work is <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">to </ins>provide <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">such </ins>information, <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">with as little bias as possible</ins>.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">== Comments ==</del></div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>==<del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">= On [http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=410069 Free speech within reason] (Times Higher Education, 21 Jan 2010) =</del>==</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>== <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">Significance for Society and Economy </ins>==</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">The article appears to confound two concepts (or aspects) of "free speech"</del>, <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">namely (1) free speech </del>as <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">a right to express views regardless of whether the audience likes them (e.g. saying things that others consider wrong </del>or <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">offensive) and (2) free speech as a right to express views regardless of whether the situation is suitable for communication (e</del>.<del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">g. giving views during a theatre performance). It seems to me that the AFAF use concept (1) of free speech whereas Constantine Sandis uses concept (2). At the risk </del>of <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">stating the obvious, let me point out that the objective of free speech is communication, i.e. conveying information to recipients that previously did not have that information. If I claim that the Crusades took place </del>in <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">1986 and a historian gets offended at that, communication has was successful: The historian has understood my statement and their reaction depends on that. If I then go on to abuse the historian, that does not constitute any communication relevant to the subject matter: If I think they are daft (or worse), that makes no difference to establishing when the Crusades took place. In summary, freedom of speech is a freedom to communicate, not freedom to disrupt communication. Regarding academic freedom of speech and inquiry it is also important to notice that any academic work has an object of study, and academic freedom is important to ensure that results </del>are informed by <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">that object only, without interference by anyone who has less (or no) information about the object. Of course</del>, <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">scientists are humans and make mistakes, and thus generate wrong results and misinformation. It is, however, fallacious to think that this problem can somehow be alleviated by curbing academic freedom and free speech. How would those restricting academic freedom know what to allow and what </del>to <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">rule out, without freely investigating </del>the <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">object themselves? This is a typical "who watches the watchmen" case. All knowledge </del>that <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">we have derives from free inquiry, including knowledge when the Crusades really took place. This knowledge is sufficiently common that most readers will recognise the idea they took place in 1986 as ludicrous and that they will agree a lecturer teaching that idea should </del>be <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">curbed</del>. <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">For a more realistsic scenario, consider: Should a lecturer be curbed if they teach that life has evolved for a few billion years on earth? Should they be curbed if they teach that life was created a few thousand years ago? And who should use which information to decide who is to be curbed?</del></div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">Human beings in most social contexts are influenced by man-made constraints</ins>, <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">such </ins>as <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">[[competition]], being managed </ins>or <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">being coerced</ins>. <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">All results </ins>of <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">activities </ins>in <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">such conditions </ins>are informed by <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">these influences</ins>, <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">up </ins>to the <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">point </ins>that <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">it may </ins>be <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">entirely artificial</ins>.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">As an extreme example, consider a society driven only by such artificial information generated by itself. This society would lose contact to [[reality]] and effectively operate blindly. However, such failure to perceive reality will not change anything about the impact that reality has on this society. Eventually, the real basis sustaining this society would disappear (or perhaps even be destroyed by the actions of the society), with disastrous consequences.</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">=== On [http://www</del>.<del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=411485&c=1 'Freedom to say anything to anyone' </del>is not <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">what we need] (Times Higher Eductation</del>, <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">6 May 2010) ===</del></div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">The significance of academic work is to provide objective information</ins>. <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">Therefore, sustaining an academic sector </ins>is not <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">a luxury</ins>, <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">it is a necessity for survival of any society.</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Academic freedom is essential to ensure that the result of academic study is informed only by the object of study. An academic without freedom is useless, just as a compass needle without freedom to swivel on its pivot is useless. That's a fundamental difference between an academic institution and a shop.</del></div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">I find it misleading to portray academic freedom as "unfettered freedom to say anything about anything to anybody". Depicting academic freedom in this way in order to argue against it amounts to arguing for fixing a problem that doesn't exist. True, academic freedom as proposed by the AFAF or the UCU prevents management from sacking an academic for saying critical or nonsensical things. But there never has been any case of systemic or widespread misuse of academic freedom to do any such thing.</del></div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">== Misconceptions ==</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">Any anticipation that such a problem could develop in the future implies mistrust in academics and their ability and willingness to be as critical with themselves as they are with others</del>. <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">If Prof Birtwistle, management, parliament or </del>"<del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">our society</del>" <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">think there's reason for such mistrust, that's entirely fair but should be discussed openly.</del></div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">=== "Academic" vs</ins>. "<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">Pragmatic</ins>" <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">===</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">My computer allows me </del>to <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">type any sequence </del>of <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">characters into any web form</del>. <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">I wouldn't want it any other way</del>, and <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">I'd like </del>to <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">think that based </del>on <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">my common sense I can be entrusted with such freedom</del>. The <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">same principle should be applied for regulating </del>academic <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">freedom</del>.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">"Academic" is sometimes implied </ins>to <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">be the opposite </ins>of <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">"pragmatic" or, more or less equivalent, to "useful", "real", "relevant" etc</ins>. <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">This is because "academic" is, unjustifiably, assumed to refer to fundamental or ultimate aspects only</ins>, <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">whereas "pragmatic" </ins>and <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">the other terms are presumed </ins>to <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">focus (possibly exclusively) </ins>on <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">proximal matters only. The use of all the terms shown in quotes is at least questionable in these contexts</ins>. The <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">fundamental fallacy, however, is the assumption that the "pragmatic" focus on proximal aspects and the "</ins>academic<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">" focus on fundamental or ultimate aspects are mutually exclusive</ins>.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">A truly academic approach takes into account the full spectrum </ins>from the <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">proximal to the ultimate. One aspect that is true is that accepting myopic restrictions to proximal aspects is not acceptable from an academic perspective. It is, however, wrong to assume that a restriction to proximal aspects makes sense at all. Some principled knowledge </ins>and <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">approach, based on fundamentals and ultimate principles, is necessary for any pragmatic work</ins>.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">=== Tweet, 3 Feb 2010 ===</del></div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline"><nowiki>#</nowiki>loveHE because it feeds information </del>from <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">objective reality into </del>the <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">world of constructions </del>and <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">artifacts we surround ourselves with</del>.</div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
</table>Jtkimhttps://jtkim.dreamhosters.com/jtkwiki/index.php?title=Category:Academia&diff=239&oldid=prevJtkim: Created page with "Academic freedom is freedom from any influence (e.g. direction, coercion), so that academic work is only informed by reality. It is thus not a "perk", it is a fundamental necessa..."2011-09-12T09:37:12Z<p>Created page with "Academic freedom is freedom from any influence (e.g. direction, coercion), so that academic work is only informed by reality. It is thus not a "perk", it is a fundamental necessa..."</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>Academic freedom is freedom from any influence (e.g. direction, coercion), so that academic work is only informed by reality. It is thus not a "perk", it is a fundamental necessary prerequisite.<br />
<br />
Metaphorically, academic freedom is like the freedom of a compass needle to freely revolve around its pivot. As the needle's position should be informed only by the earth's magnetic field, academic work should only be informed by the object of inquiry. A compass needle that is stuck, and thus not free, can be made to show any direction as "north", but does not provide any [[information]] about the true north. Likewise, academic work that is led (or manipulated or otherwise informed) by factors that do not originate from the object of study does not provide information about the object of study, and thus does not further human understanding of [[reality]].<br />
<br />
== Comments ==<br />
<br />
=== On [http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=410069 Free speech within reason] (Times Higher Education, 21 Jan 2010) ===<br />
The article appears to confound two concepts (or aspects) of "free speech", namely (1) free speech as a right to express views regardless of whether the audience likes them (e.g. saying things that others consider wrong or offensive) and (2) free speech as a right to express views regardless of whether the situation is suitable for communication (e.g. giving views during a theatre performance). It seems to me that the AFAF use concept (1) of free speech whereas Constantine Sandis uses concept (2). At the risk of stating the obvious, let me point out that the objective of free speech is communication, i.e. conveying information to recipients that previously did not have that information. If I claim that the Crusades took place in 1986 and a historian gets offended at that, communication has was successful: The historian has understood my statement and their reaction depends on that. If I then go on to abuse the historian, that does not constitute any communication relevant to the subject matter: If I think they are daft (or worse), that makes no difference to establishing when the Crusades took place. In summary, freedom of speech is a freedom to communicate, not freedom to disrupt communication. Regarding academic freedom of speech and inquiry it is also important to notice that any academic work has an object of study, and academic freedom is important to ensure that results are informed by that object only, without interference by anyone who has less (or no) information about the object. Of course, scientists are humans and make mistakes, and thus generate wrong results and misinformation. It is, however, fallacious to think that this problem can somehow be alleviated by curbing academic freedom and free speech. How would those restricting academic freedom know what to allow and what to rule out, without freely investigating the object themselves? This is a typical "who watches the watchmen" case. All knowledge that we have derives from free inquiry, including knowledge when the Crusades really took place. This knowledge is sufficiently common that most readers will recognise the idea they took place in 1986 as ludicrous and that they will agree a lecturer teaching that idea should be curbed. For a more realistsic scenario, consider: Should a lecturer be curbed if they teach that life has evolved for a few billion years on earth? Should they be curbed if they teach that life was created a few thousand years ago? And who should use which information to decide who is to be curbed?<br />
<br />
<br />
=== On [http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=411485&c=1 'Freedom to say anything to anyone' is not what we need] (Times Higher Eductation, 6 May 2010) ===<br />
<br />
Academic freedom is essential to ensure that the result of academic study is informed only by the object of study. An academic without freedom is useless, just as a compass needle without freedom to swivel on its pivot is useless. That's a fundamental difference between an academic institution and a shop.<br />
<br />
I find it misleading to portray academic freedom as "unfettered freedom to say anything about anything to anybody". Depicting academic freedom in this way in order to argue against it amounts to arguing for fixing a problem that doesn't exist. True, academic freedom as proposed by the AFAF or the UCU prevents management from sacking an academic for saying critical or nonsensical things. But there never has been any case of systemic or widespread misuse of academic freedom to do any such thing.<br />
<br />
Any anticipation that such a problem could develop in the future implies mistrust in academics and their ability and willingness to be as critical with themselves as they are with others. If Prof Birtwistle, management, parliament or "our society" think there's reason for such mistrust, that's entirely fair but should be discussed openly.<br />
<br />
My computer allows me to type any sequence of characters into any web form. I wouldn't want it any other way, and I'd like to think that based on my common sense I can be entrusted with such freedom. The same principle should be applied for regulating academic freedom.<br />
<br />
<br />
=== Tweet, 3 Feb 2010 ===<br />
<br />
<nowiki>#</nowiki>loveHE because it feeds information from objective reality into the world of constructions and artifacts we surround ourselves with.</div>Jtkim