All quiet on the Oxford front
Marcus du Sautoy replaces Richard Dawkins at Oxford.
First reaction: 'Oh, good, Maurice du Sautoy. My friend Will likes him.' *Googles* 'Gee, this guy seems pretty cool.'
Second reaction: 'Wait a second...
The chair was set up in 1995 for Dawkins by the computer scientist Charles Simonyi to allow the biologist the time to continue writing and disseminating his work.
Far be it from me to question Richard Dawkins's academic bona fides, but are these sorts of privately-funded capers based around a rich man's admiration for an individual, not a discipline, really the best way or come to that even a good way to create new university chairs? For that matter, this applies to a lot of so-called 'great academics', including some whose work I actually admire. If I ever get offered a university seat, I will make sure to reject the offer on principle if it was endowed by a private individual specifically for me to hold it.'
First reaction: 'Oh, good, Maurice du Sautoy. My friend Will likes him.' *Googles* 'Gee, this guy seems pretty cool.'
Second reaction: 'Wait a second...
The chair was set up in 1995 for Dawkins by the computer scientist Charles Simonyi to allow the biologist the time to continue writing and disseminating his work.
Far be it from me to question Richard Dawkins's academic bona fides, but are these sorts of privately-funded capers based around a rich man's admiration for an individual, not a discipline, really the best way or come to that even a good way to create new university chairs? For that matter, this applies to a lot of so-called 'great academics', including some whose work I actually admire. If I ever get offered a university seat, I will make sure to reject the offer on principle if it was endowed by a private individual specifically for me to hold it.'