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  • From: "Read, James C" <K0434995 AT kingston.ac.uk>
  • To: "Heard, Christopher" <Christopher.Heard AT pepperdine.edu>
  • Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Doctorates or not
  • Date: Mon, 5 Sep 2005 19:53:00 +0100


I agree that such bickering brings nothing of benefit to the forum. But in
order for us all
to discuss linguistic cases we must all acknowledge together that it is the
proofs that win
the case and not the credentials of who presents them.

-----Original Message-----
From: b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org on behalf of Heard, Christopher
Sent: Mon 9/5/2005 7:46 PM
To: b-hebrew
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Doctorates or not

Listers (including moderators),

Could somebody kindly explain to me precisely how all this bickering
about academic qualifications advances list purposes, namely, the
understanding of biblical Hebrew?

Thank you,

Chris
--
R. Christopher Heard
Assistant Professor of Religion
Seaver Fellow in Religion
Pepperdine University
Malibu, California 90263-4352
Professional Web Page: http://faculty.pepperdine.edu/cheard
Internet Resource Index: http://www.iTanakh.org
Personal Web Page: http://www.heardworld.com

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From: "Karl Randolph" <kwrandolph AT email.com>
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George:

While I don't have experience with Hebrew as
taught in public universities, I have seen
documented cases of viewpoint discrimination
in other fields, thus it does not surprise
me that it may happen in Hebrew at a
particular university.

In particular, it has been well documented
that people in the life sciences are often
discriminated against if they do not believe
in evolution. A few years ago, a professor
at Texas Tech University, teaching a class
that was a prerequisite for medical school,
bluntly told his students that if they did
not believe in evolution, they would receive
a failing grade, no matter how well they did
academically in the course. That was one of
the rare cases where a lawsuit succeeded in
granting relief. Another case where a legal
action failed was where a professor was
fired for not believing in evolution, and
that was the reason given for his firing,
even though he was given superior marks for
his teaching and research. However, most of
the discrimination is far more subtle, more
along the lines of innuendo and "not up to
standards", or other such weasel words.
While undergrads can often, though not
always, answer "You teach that..." or
something similar, to show their familiarity
with what is taught without compromising
their beliefs, such anonymity is harder to
maintain in grad school.

Now back to Hebrew, it is unavoidable that
we will be influenced by our philosophical
presuppositions as we study the language.
That is why I have been up front where I
come from, while trying to avoid preaching
or proselytism (I figure that by the time
anyone who has achieved expertise to hold
his own in discussions in this forum, he has
already heard all the preaching/proselytism
from all points of view, so why waste the
bandwidth?). I have a far different view on
the historical development of the language
than one who holds to the Documentary
Hypothesis, and unless and until source
documents are found that can substantiate
either view, we must admit that both views
are not historically demonstrable. Likewise,
as Peter Kirk mentioned, where there is a
questionable reading, I will tend to come
down on the reading that is consistent with
my presuppositions, understanding word
definitions even grammar to be in line
thereto.

I don't know James Read's situation, in fact
he may have exacerbated his situation by
being outspoken, though he may have run into
professors like the one from Texas Tech.
Without knowing more details, I accept his
claim that he believed that he was being
coerced to change his beliefs in order to
graduate.

Karl W. Randolph.

----- Original Message -----
From: "George F Somsel" <gfsomsel AT juno.com>
>
> On Mon, 5 Sep 2005 08:39:06 +0100 "Read, James C"
> <K0434995 AT kingston.ac.uk> writes:
> > Imagine 2,000 years from now a group of 'scholars' that go about
> > studying the now dead English language....
> >
> >...
> >
> > Sound familiar?
> _____________
>
> It sounds to me like a highly improbable story which you have concocted
> to justify yourself. I don't believe your complaint that you would have
> had to compromise your beliefs. That's . . . (ummm) HOGWASH!
>
> george
> gfsomsel

--
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