tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post133731033193960151..comments2024-03-27T03:00:27.024-04:00Comments on Facts & other stubborn things: Why do so many people seem convinced that the concentration of placements coming from a handful of top universities is some kind of conspiracy?Evanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12259004160963531720noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-50956502193437835822013-02-15T09:10:38.554-05:002013-02-15T09:10:38.554-05:00Given the standardization of mathematics education...Given the standardization of mathematics education around the globe (in what little that I can legitimately say to know of mathematics education, anyway), I have no doubt that mathematical theorems and proofs and calculations in Cambridge, Massachusetts, work no more differently than mathematical theorems and proofs and calculations in say, London, United Kingdom, or Cape Town, South Africa, or New Delhi, India, or Ankara, Turkey, or Buenos Aires, Argentina, or Melbourne, Australia, or Beijing, China.<br /><br />But there is no denying that prestigious institutions of higher education tend to have advantages: they have long-established networks that help budding scholars get connections, widespread brand recognition that helps one look good on resumes, and the funding to boot.<br /><br />I agree with Daniel Kuehn that there are good reasons why prestigious universities get their reputations and get to select the best of the best of the bunch and get to produce scholars that produce high-quality or ground-breaking research.<br /><br />But since people aren't angels, there is bound to be some degree of corruption and favouritism regardless of what community or institution one goes to. It's just a matter of how controlled and contained that unfairness and unjust/undeserved treatment is.<br /><br />That stated though, I do think that you, Daniel Kuehn, ought to give the academic labor market a shot. As I have told you before (and I am sure that others have told you the same too), I think that you have the chance of going far and going somewhere.<br /><br />It may have to involve leaving your beloved D.C. Area, though.Blue Auroranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-69325089443182297742013-02-15T09:09:55.919-05:002013-02-15T09:09:55.919-05:00Given the standardization of mathematics education...Given the standardization of mathematics education around the globe (in what little that I can legitimately say to know of mathematics education, anyway), I have no doubt that mathematical theorems and proofs and calculations in Cambridge, Massachusetts, work no more differently than mathematical theorems and proofs and calculations in say, London, United Kingdom, or Cape Town, South Africa, or New Delhi, India, or Ankara, Turkey, or Buenos Aires, Argentina, or Melbourne, Australia, or Beijing, China.<br /><br />But there is no denying that prestigious institutions of higher education tend to have advantages: they have long-established networks that help budding scholars get connections, widespread brand recognition that helps one look good on resumes, and the funding to boot.<br /><br />I agree with Daniel Kuehn that there are good reasons why prestigious universities get their reputations and get to select the best of the best of the bunch and get to produce scholars that produce high-quality or ground-breaking research.<br /><br />But since people aren't angels, there is bound to be some degree of corruption and favouritism regardless of what community or institution one goes to. It's just a matter of how controlled and contained that unfairness and unjust/undeserved treatment is.<br /><br />That stated though, I do think that you, Daniel Kuehn, ought to give the academic labor market a shot. As I have told you before (and I am sure that others have told you the same too), I think that you have the chance of going far and going somewhere.<br /><br />It may have to involve leaving your beloved D.C. Area, though.Blue Auroranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-90914046151189948482013-02-12T23:31:32.708-05:002013-02-12T23:31:32.708-05:00It has often occurred to me that the best evidence...It has often occurred to me that the best evidence of the stupidity of Rush and his dittoheads is that they do not realize that the inability of college faculties to organize their affairs so as to provide a reasonably priced education and opportunity for people to want to teach are the two most powerful arguments than can be made for not paying attention to such people.<br /><br />If these people where so smart, why haven't they put their own house in order?<br /><br />It is amazing that we have tens if not hundreds of thousands of university professors leading lives of an Emperor with no Clothes.<br /><br />Dan here seems reconciled that he will not teach. Instead of getting on the bus to go to some of the lectures he attends, he ought to consider organizing, walking in the street, and carrying a sign (I do no mean this literally). What I mean is that he ought to be paying more attention to his own business model. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07904132869021579763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-26057514737003114732013-02-11T20:45:19.048-05:002013-02-11T20:45:19.048-05:00Math doesn't work differently at MIT, but you ...Math doesn't work differently at MIT, but you get to spend time with a bunch of really smart people, bounce ideas off them, etc... Or so I assume. You probably also get access to more resources (money, data etc) just by virtue of being associated with a prestigious university.PrometheeFeuhttp://prometheefeu.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-83190199291311161782013-02-11T16:59:44.187-05:002013-02-11T16:59:44.187-05:00There might be some old boys network. But people d...There might be some old boys network. But people don't randomly get to those schools so teasing out that sort of thing seems very tough. Without some good evidence I'm inclined to not be as scandalized by this. Daniel Kuehnhttp://www.factsandotherstubbornthings.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-63525170819612045012013-02-11T16:56:47.991-05:002013-02-11T16:56:47.991-05:00The concern is that thee is an old boys network an...The concern is that thee is an old boys network and that they are excluded. The answer, as you say, is to do good work and publish. <br /><br />For myself, I decided to give up hope of an academic career the day I looked around a fourth year class and realized I was the second smartest student in the room. (The smartest guy in the room got a Ph.D. from a world class department in the field, could not find a position and ultimately became a computer programmer.)Absalonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09131268683451462949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740670447258719504.post-30162195627179682282013-02-11T16:50:21.658-05:002013-02-11T16:50:21.658-05:00I don't know about conspiracies, but I've ...I don't know about conspiracies, but I've heard many complaints about academics' attitudes towards credentials. For example, still wanting to hire a candidate with a very poor publishing record but went to Harvard over someone from a lower ranked school who is already well published. The person from Harvard or whenever "predictably" is terrible (I use scare quotes because I only have heard anecdotes, not data). This is supposedly pervasive.Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18341935691462262579noreply@blogger.com