Saturday 27 August 2011

What is the matter with these people? (2) - the PhD

Comment by an Eaton Square archaeologist, supporter of the Portable Antiquities Scheme to Dave Welsh's anti-academic "Who owns Numismatics?":
I agree with you - there are many numismatists that know the physical coins better than academics. [...] It just seems slightly ironic you say Barford wants people to have paper qualifications, as he doesn't have all that many himself [...].
The irony of course here is the good doctor has not actually done her own research here, merely expressing an opinion based on what somebody has told her. Equally, I would not mind betting her "knowledge" of how many paper qualifications I have goes no further than her avid reading of seconary sources like the blogs of "Candice Jarman" and Steve Taylor. It's probably quite easy to get a PhD in Britain these days, a superficial questionnaire, apparently no extensive first hand contact with the material, forming opinions on the basis of what somebody else says rather than going to the primary evidence... No wonder British archaeology has gone to the dogs.

If PhDiva would take the trouble of reading what it is she is discussing, she will find that "Barford" (sic) "wants people to have paper qualifications" - is far from an adequate summary of what I actually said in that discussion. But superficiality is of course endemic in the mindset of the supporters of collecting and collectors, even if they have PhDs from British universities.

Vignette: PhDiva from PhDiva.

1 comment:

Paul Barford said...

Thanks "S." for the information, I'll bear it in mind.

 
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