Opinion
Seeking intellectual integrity
Martin Sherman
Published: 10.11.10, 00:42
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18 Talkbacks for this article
1. The disproportionate response of the humanities academics
Brian Cohen ,   Judean Peoples Front   (11.10.10)
We forget that universities are composed of many, many more departments and faculties than political science and others - from which the vocal minority of anti-Israel voices come from. The vast majority of the academic faculties at Israeli universities have nothing to do with this vocal minority, nor (unfortunately) do they want to get involved. Why? They are too busy doing what they do best: research in their fields (engineering, biology, chemistry, math, physics, economics, languages, history, archeology, botany, and the rest). They have no time to waste on vacuous self-aggrandizing anti-Israel "academics" who spend a lot of their time as Sherman says: lying about the facts. The rabidly vocal minority should be put in their place: fired. Any academic who calls for the suspension of academic freedom is unworthy of a position in a university. Extremists like BGU's Neve Gordon should be handed their pink slip and told to seek employment elsewhere. There is no shortage of foreign universities with lower standards who will be happy to hire them as their local pet rabid anti-Israel Israeli professor.
2. Forget the ''searing soul searching''
Terry ,   Eilat - Israel   (11.10.10)
Mr Sherman, if these supposed academics had a soul they would not be malshinim. You make a nice argument but it's too abstract. You needed to give specific examples & name names. If ordinary citizens knew exactly the details of what this collection of wackos, cranks, & mentally deranged pseudo-intellectuals actually espoused, they would really be outraged. And, the outrage is compounded because taxpayers subsidize these meshuganas & our useless politicians take no action. I have been following the antics of our ''academics'' for quite a while. I'm sure you are familiar with Steven Plaut - he has often written about various professors & their lunatic slanders on his blog, Zionist Conspiracy. So, forget the ''soul searching'' - these people should be fired & the administrators of our academic institutions replaced.
3. Seeking intellectual integrity
baba buba   (11.10.10)
Ah, but this would inevitably involve classroom discussion of Arab-Islamic culture. And the question will arise as to whether or not there is something evil about Arab-Islamic culture—something one may not discuss in any classroom of the democratic world, where moral or cultural relativism reigns supreme. Indeed, in Israel, to draw any negative conclusions about Arab culture or about the Islamic religion would expose one to the charge of racism and incitement—a criminal offense. But what am I saying! Do we not know that Islam is a “religion of peace,” hence that “peaceful coexistence” is possible between Jews and Arabs? Have we not been given to believe that the conflict between Jews and Arabs is not a religious conflict but a territorial conflict? This being the case, why not Oslo? Why not a Palestinian state? Why not a Golan Accord? What can be more conducive to peace and security than signed agreements between Israel and its peace-loving Arab neighbors? But if this describes the see-no-evil, hear-no-evil, and speak-no-evil mentality of Israel’s political leaders, must we not conclude that Israel’s government is the greatest enemy of the Jewish people? ======
4. Another searing article by Professor
Robert Haymond ,   Israel/Canada   (11.10.10)
Sherman. I suppose academia would argue that there exists no objective means of evaluating work in the social sciences and therefore the Knesset committee has no business attempting to measure the quality of the work it puts out since it can't be quantified. Therefore, no criticism about their (academia's)fairness in awarding theses and employing new staff can be made. In short, academics would charge that one has to "leave it" to the experts (them). On the other hand, academics dismiss all attempts at being evaluated. They do indicate that awarding degrees and implementing the hiring of new staff is about quality and quality alone. This is a contradiction. If there is no means of evaluating the quality of a thesis or the body of an academic's work, just how are these matters evaluated and on what basis are degrees awarded and professors hired. If there a method of evaluation does exist, it could be made public and people like Dr. Sherman would then have the means of familiarizing themselves with, and evaluating, academia's model, noting its strengths, weaknesses and relevancy. This, of course, could, in principle, be done. But since academics object to the Knesset committee dealing with their own institutions, it implies that academia really lacks an objective means of evaluating itself or, if it has an established means of evaluating quality, it is a poor one which would never pass muster. So, in the end, academics return to their old standby refrain: "You are interfering with academic freedom." This refrain will no longer wash. Many of us are very aware of the paucity of thought in the departments of social sciences. For any further information, I suggest the Reader go to isracampus.org.il. And thanks to Dr. Sherman for writing such a transparent critique of the academic (social sciences) establishment.
5. the base
sahar   (11.10.10)
in this articlehe compare the academic study to science the clinical or chemical or mechanical .. the base is there is diference in these sciences you can not go out of the rules the theories but in academic you can go out of any laws you can say whatever you think .. becouse of that god say about the poets that they follow the evils say whatever they want and people may follow them all of these will be in hell EXCEPT the believers who want to justfy themselves and their nation ..and this is depends on thinking more than the state laws
6. End the Hgemony of the Fascist Left over Israeli academia
Yishai ,   London   (11.10.10)
Ben Gurion University, Tel Aviv University, Hebrew University, Haifa University - all occupied territories under the hegemony of the academic fascist Left
7. Excellent! (But a small correction)
Paqid Yirmeyahu ,   Ra'anana, Israel   (11.10.10)
This article is a key foundation stone toward building a vastly improved higher education system in Israel. Moreover, setting higher education on this track will pull preparatory education along with it, eventually pervading Israeli society, Israeli perspective--including a vastly improved understanding of Torah--and trickling down all the way to gan. (If your understanding, interpretations and teaching of Torah isn't compatible with modern science and the reality of the factual world, of history and documentation, then your understanding, interpretations and teaching of Torah are false and leading Israel astray from the Creator-Singularity--haSheim! No wonder Israel is filled with atheists, homos and other assorted Edomite mushumadim) It's no mere scientific elitism to notice that studies and theories based solely upon applying scientific methods to questionable assertions and outright false premises (and, often, pure superstitions and mythology) are not sciences, and, therefore, must never be afforded the title of science. That cheapens legitimate science and scientists. Logical reasoning applied to a false premise can ONLY produce ex falso quodlibet results, NOT science; and such quackery consistently deceives large segments of the public who value error-riddled, shockingly assimilated tradition over factual, historical, real-world Torah practice. Nor are the adherents of social studies and humanities scientists, they are professors and teachers of social STUDIES and humanities, NOT social scientists. There is no such thing as "soft science." Please man-up and call it like it is, pseudo-science--whose adherents are charlatans with IDD (integrity deficit disorder) selling snake oil. My thanks to Dr. Sherman for inadvertently corroborating my ynet post of 3 days ago (Check before accusing, 2010.11.08). Paqid Yirmeyahu Paqid 16, The Netzarim, Ra'anana, Israel Israeli Torah-reverer: Teimani, Baladi, Dor Dai Advocate for Logic as Hermeneutic Halakhic Authority www.netzarim.co.il Welcoming All Torah-reverers (Jews & non-Jew geirim)
8. impossible to do soulsearching withouy a soul
avrom ,   betshemesh   (11.10.10)
9. No checks and balances
Igor ,   Germany   (11.10.10)
Israeli example is maybe drastic, but the same problems exist elsewhere in the free world, including the USA. There are no checks and balances in the academia. Once professors of from certain political direction get enough influence at a faculty, they take care that only like-minded are appointed, which, in turn, amplifies their influence. It's a chain reaction that eventually leads to a social core meltdown. A way of correcting that would be to make professorship an elected office with limited terms and give taxpayers (who eventually fund the office) a say in the election.
10. Left-wing academics in the US are in denial too!
michael redbourn ,   Arad - Israel   (11.10.10)
A good article, but there is next to no chance of changing left-wing academics. The Dems just got slaughtered in the US - but who's fault is that? Well according to 'leftist 'intellectuals' the problem was not correctly getting the message out, the economy and the dumb masses. The "dumb masses" understood the message very well and threw them out. The 'liberals' still support Reid and Pelosi and Obama will keep all the same failed faces in the same positions because they did such a great job. Watch Obama squirming, when denying that he's an ideologue; http://tiny.cc/obama-not-an-ideologue "The bottom line is that nobody will ever change another person’s mind unless the listener has already decided that what they believe might be incorrect". No pushing or prodding will help unless the readiness for change is there, and the Left shows no openess to change or willingness to listen.
11. I have given up on universities as a learning environment
m   (11.10.10)
Why wonder? The university today is a PC indoctrination tool for the destruction of Judaism. They are all based on Hellnistic theories=mityavnim all.
12. Absurd legal distinction
Eyal ,   Rehovot   (11.10.10)
Sherman states: "any informed observer must be aware that this disparity is not rooted in any doctrine of racial superiority, but in exigencies of security." Sherman's statement is absurd and obfuscates the real issue. The fair and universal applicability of one law code by a state is essential. The law should incorporate security of it's population and those laws should apply to every individual under it's jurisdiction. Security is no excuse for a two tiered legal system.
13. #12, really?
Danny   (11.10.10)
Is that why you have exactly the same rights in say the UK as a british citizen? Trying claiming benefit.
14. Indoctrination or education?
Mikesailor ,   Miami, FL   (11.10.10)
Apparently the writer leans toward the former and issues a veiled threat against the latter. It's a pity when so many mistatements are so easily swallowed whoesale by those pushing an ideology but Intellectual dishonesty seems to be endemic in Israel. First of all, both Judaism and Islam have elements of both peace and despicable outrage. If you don't believe me, try reading Leviticus, Deuteronomy and Joshus. Killing your enemy and his wives, children and livestock. is a Jewish call for genocide. In Islam, glorifying the killing of an infidel is almost as bad. Yet, Mr. Sherman ignores the fact that most academics do not promote the idea that religious enmity has much to do with the present conflict. Instead of clearly seeing that conflict in rational terms, as a political rather than a religious/ethnic conflict, academics attempt to use reason derived from historical fact, unconstrained by the present 'conventional wisdom' or ideology. And that is what the writer and his supporters despise. Should an 'Arab' living on his own piece of land for generations be deprived of such propert because an interloper, claiming an unwritten deed from two thousand years ago, decides to evict him? Is such a dispute religious or political? Is equal protection of the law for all people within a country a religious or ideological dispute? By the way, The US Supreme Court ruled in the case cited that freedom of speech is not applicable in the case of one who shouts 'Fire' in a crowded theater. It does not circumscribe academic discourse no matter how much Mr. Sherman professes it does.
15. #14, that would be fine if these people were not frauds
Danny   (11.10.10)
Said has Turkey being conquered by Muslims before North Africa - a date that is wrong by either 300 or 800 years depending on your definition of Turkey. When told about this he declined to change it. Jacqueline Rose has Jabotinsky giving speeches in 1947. He died in 1940. She also knew this before she wrote her book. Illan Pappe quotes a "massacre" in Tantura, when the "researcher" who "uncovered" it said he lied, the people who were interviewed said it didn't happen, no ever said it happened until the "researcher" said so, letters from Tantura inhabitants at the time complained about damage, a couple of rapes and some theiving but no massacre, a senior member of the village wrote a book in Damascus saying there was no massacre and no people are missing from the village despite some 1/3 of the men being "massacred". Pappe tried to back this up with a "letter from the IDF chief of staff" complaining about a "massacre" except the letter wasn't from the chief of staff and complained about damage not massacres. And so on and so on. This is not education this is simple, plain out and out academic fraud. These people are liars plain and simple.
16. Falcification of history
Dr. I. Barr ,   Detroit, Michigan   (11.11.10)
Falcification of history by some Israeli academics such as Ilan Pappe is criminal. Some Israeli academics do not recognize the right of Israel self determination. Many of them are anarchists/Marxists deny the right of Israel to exist and adopted Hamas naratives. Yet, some like Neve Gordon from Ben Gurion U. are appointed to senior positions despite the fact that he is a vicious enemy of Israel government. They chronically ignore the role of Islam, WAQF and TAQYYA, ignore Hamas Covenant, the murder of Jews in Hebron, Gush Etzion etc. Israel must urgently establish an Institute to advance Israel culture to actively pursue the enemy within, Israel radical academics. As teachers they are supposed to teach. As academics their "free Speech" must be accurate, fair, balanced, responsible and open to criticism. If they are not doing so their academic tenure should be revoked.
17. No searching for the truth
rivkah f. ,   jerusalem   (11.11.10)
Since the onslaught of postmodernism, many academics no longer seek the truth, but believe in the validity of many narratives. Everything is equally important and subjective. Facts are meaningless & perceptions are everything.Unless this mindset changes, nothing at the universities will change -- post-Zionist canards will continue to spread. Who knows? One day even Holocaust denial may be taught as an alternative narrative worthy of serious scholarly merit!
18. Intellectual integrity
Gary Aminoff ,   Los Angeles USA   (11.15.10)
There is no intellectual integrity in the leftist academia or press. Wishing for it is the same as believing that it is possible to have a peaceful Palestinian state side by side with Israel.
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