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Old 01-10-2003, 07:42 PM
Mike Clark
 
Posts: n/a
Default say non to GM - Join the Tractors & Trolley Parade - Monday 13th October 2003 London

In article m,
URL:mailto:@.MISSING-HOST-NAME. wrote:
On Wed, 1 Oct 2003 17:28:30 +0100, Mike Clark wrote:

In article m,
URL:mailto:@.MISSING-HOST-NAME. wrote:
On Wed, 01 Oct 2003 16:23:55 +0100, Peter Ashby
wrote:

[snip]
To assume that I speak for the University of Dundee is to be deluded.

If you advertise the fact, then you do, otherwise lose the
assosciation. Have they authorised you to talk a load of ******** on
their behalf?


I interpret this to mean that he is exercising his rights of academic
freedom to express a view not unrelated to his area of expertise as a
member of a university. I would be most concerned if he was only able to
speak when authorised by his university.

I realise that this may be an alien concept to some people employed in
companies, or even employed by some government institutions, but it is a
concept still defended in universities. As a fellow academic I would
defend his right to express his views even though I may not agree with
the opinions he expresses.


It has nothing to do with free speech. Peter Ashby can say what he
wants, when he wants and where he wants as far as I am concerned, I
would defend that right too.

Bragging how big his dick is, the fact that the university is
sponsoring him and that we are paying for it is completely unnecessary
to promoting free speech. If the comments are not on behalf of the
uni, don't advertise it then.


I think you are missing the point. It is not just a question of free
speech, and it is not just a question of speaking for an employer or
not. The important fact is that an academic can declare an affiliation
to an academic institution, yet still speak with academic freedom and
express views that should not be considered as the expressed opinions of
the institution. I find it insidious that you think that an academic
should hide their affiliation from public scrutiny.


Mike URL:http://www.path.cam.ac.uk/~mrc7/
--
M.R. Clark, PhD. Division of Immunology
Cambridge University, Dept. Pathology
Tennis Court Rd., Cambridge CB2 1QP
Tel.+44 1223 333705 Fax.+44 1223 333875