From: Dawsonzhu@aol.com
Date: Fri Dec 20 2002 - 12:50:49 EST
Darryl Maddox wrote:
points 1 and 2:
> 1. What difference does it make? [snip]
> 2. They don't need a letter, even have to take a
> course, from from him. [snip]
> 3rd. Who would give credence to a letter from
> students freshman teacher [snip]
That was one thing I was wondering about. He is just
doing one class, and it is just a meat grinder class
anyway. Be glad you passed and move on.
> 1) Is if fair or reasonable for a professor to refuse to write
a letter
> of recommendation for a student based on that students belief
about some
> particular aspect of a subject. For instance, would it be
fair to not
> write recommendations for geology students who did not believe
in plate
> tectonics, or an old earth? For chemistry students who did not
believe
> in atoms? For physics students who did not believe in quantum
theory?
> I am reaching on the last two because I don't know that much
about them
> but if people in those fields would like to substitute their
own anology
> to the evolution for their particular fields and then comment on my
> questions I woul be intersted in their thoughts.
I see your point, but it is difficult to really project
something of the same caliber on this. It would really
have to be evaluation on a case by case basis. I remember
a physicist who had all the answers to superconductivity,
and you just could not get ANYTHING through his thick
skull on that one issue. Yet in other ways, he was just
fine, and very intelligent as a physicist. So would I
recommend the guy or not? Probably yes, at least if it
was NOT to do theory on superconductivity.
I've also known some very intelligent creationists.
Even if I don't agree with them, I can recognize if
they are able to do certain kinds of work or not.
The only place I see any real problem is that I
sometimes here the claim "I am a doctor and I am
a creationist". This is an appeal to authority
that one does not even have, but people often
buy that one. Atheists also bamboozle people
misleading them with their knowledge of christian
theology, so there is nothing unique there with
false claims of authority.
2) Would it make any difference whether the letter of recommendation
was for graduate school or for employment?
3) Would you recommend for graduate school or would you hire a person
who didn't believe in something in your field which you feel is
analogous to the role of evolution in biology?
Again, if I was dealing with that guy and his superconductivity, I
think not because I could not
WORK with him on that. If I was hiring him to
study heavy fermion metals, one dimensional conductors,
maybe even magnetic oxides (cringe), there is a chance
I could work with him. So I really think it depends
on what the person is doing, and whether I think
they have a reasonable chance of leading a productive
life.
For similar reasons, with a YEC true believer, one
should look into their reasons for going to medical
school first. Is it for money? Is it because the
parents told them they should be a doctor? Is it
because they want to say, "I am a doctor and I believe
in creationism"? Or, is it because they know in their
heart that being a doctor is what they should do? That
is what I would care about in deciding to recommend
someone.
By Grace alone we proceed,
Wayne
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