Part One
March 11, 1998
Dear Norman,
Thanks for making available your levelheaded civilized account of
philosophical thuggery. I wish I could be as charitable towards other
areas of study. The most savage, blood-and-guts sessions I have ever
attended were some postgrad seminars in ethology conducted at Oxford
many years back by Desmond Morris (after he'd struck it rich).
Students were to present progress reports on their research, and
their fellow students were to decimate without mercy. Morris
officiated. I must say, I found English philosophers genteel by
comparison and thought how tough it must be to cut the mustard as a
zoologist. I've witnessed similar approaches amongst economists and
other social scientists. (Could these be philosophers – by proxy?) On
the far end, the very most genteel gathering I attended was one
session of the American Musicological Association. In question
period, there were no questions. People stood up and, after honorific
praise of the presenter, proceeded to deliver mini-speeches of their
own in which they recounted their research. It was effusive with a
kind of doting quality which made me hanker after a bit of the
slash-and-burn woodsmoke of a philosophy seminar. As for
philosophers, didn't we get it from emulating Socrates who, after
all, often won through ridicule?
Best wishes,
Stan Godlovitch
Lincoln University
P.O. Box 84
Canterbury
New Zealand
Work: (64)(3) 325-2811 X:8971
Fax: (64)(3) 325-3857
Home: (64)(3) 325-3121
Email: godlovis@lincoln.ac.nz
Part Two
March 12, 1998
[Yesterday] I didn't raise the matter of referees' reports, but
I agree with you utterly. Whenever I've been asked to referee I
always make it very
clear to the editor that all my comments are to go to the contributor
along with my name and address. I have general moral concerns about
the cloak of confidentiality which, I think, generates far more harm
and encourages far more vice than whatever benefits are meant to
follow from it. Indeed, I think such use of confidentiality can, and
occasionally does, degenerate into a badge of simple cowardice. But
that's another issue.
Best wishes,
Stan
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