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November 7, 2007
I Resemble That Remark
I take my title from an old and not very funny parody that goes back at least to the Three Stooges. It could even be older. Anyway,
Eric Cline writes in a solicited comment (be sure to scroll down to the comments section) on National Geographic's Stones, Bones ‘n Things,
Moreover, these particular amateur enthusiasts -- most of whom are self-trained and self-employed, and some of whom publish only, or primarily, on the Internet -- all work outside of academia. While that is not necessarily a bad thing, in and of itself, it also means that they are therefore not held to the same standards of rigor, peer review, and scrutiny as are professional scholars employed by colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher learning. Let me make it clear that I am not standing on a soapbox here, decrying anyone who doesn’t have a professional degree or who is infringing upon our professional turf, for some enthusiastic amateurs have made great contributions in numerous fields, including archaeology. However, they can also make any claims that they want, without fear of repercussions from their peers, while I and my colleagues have to back up our claims with real evidence. Indeed, the work of such enthusiasts frequently meets the criteria of "junk science," especially when it "advocates a cause, pays little attention to the investigative process, ignores contrary evidence, and advertises a high moral purpose."
While I am not totally self-trained and in the distant past I have published a couple of things in peer reviewed journals, much of what Cline says applies to what you read on Abnormal Interests. I do try to be careful but my readers should be careful too. Please read the whole of Cline's comment and the post that called for it. Eric Cline continues to do a service for archaeologists and for enthusiasts even if the latter don't always know it.
Via Theologie und Gemeinschaft, aka Jim West
Posted by Duane Smith at November 7, 2007 2:46 PM | Read more on Archaeology |
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