Difference between revisions of "Tim Hunt/UCL resignation"
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[[category:controversies]] | [[category:controversies]] | ||
==Claims== | ==Claims== | ||
| − | * There was a "witch hunt" against Tim Hunt. " | + | * There was a "witch hunt" or "inquisition"<ref name=reason /> against Tim Hunt. Hunt was "crucified by fanatics"<ref name=tele />, an "intolerant mob"<ref name=reason /> and "expel[led] from public life"<ref name=reason />. |
| − | ** How so? If he was "hung out to dry", why did he resign voluntarily? | + | ** How so? No relevant details given. |
| + | * Hunt was "hung out to dry" by UCL. | ||
| + | ** If he was "hung out to dry", why did he resign voluntarily? Did he even argue with UCL about it? Where is that argument reported? | ||
| + | * Hunt was only joking.<ref name=reason /> | ||
| + | * But the laughter in the original recording ''proves'' that he was joking. | ||
| + | * More female scientists have come out in support of Hunt than have come out against. | ||
| + | ** Documentation? | ||
| + | |||
==Timeline== | ==Timeline== | ||
The affair seems to have started with this Tweet by Connie St. Louis on June 8: https://twitter.com/connie_stlouis/status/607813783075954688 | The affair seems to have started with this Tweet by Connie St. Louis on June 8: https://twitter.com/connie_stlouis/status/607813783075954688 | ||
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==Links== | ==Links== | ||
===to file=== | ===to file=== | ||
| + | * '''2015-06-13''' [http://reason.com/archives/2015/06/13/the-illiberal-persecution-of-tim-hunt The Illiberal Persecution of Tim Hunt] | ||
* '''2015-06-14''' http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2015/06/14/the-nobel-is-not-a-get-out-of-jail-free-card/ | * '''2015-06-14''' http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2015/06/14/the-nobel-is-not-a-get-out-of-jail-free-card/ | ||
* '''2015-06-15''' http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2015/06/15/liberal-academia-gets-to-tell-brendan-oneill-that-hes-full-of-shit/ | * '''2015-06-15''' http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2015/06/15/liberal-academia-gets-to-tell-brendan-oneill-that-hes-full-of-shit/ | ||
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==Footnotes== | ==Footnotes== | ||
<references> | <references> | ||
| − | <ref name=tele>'''2015-06-20''' [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/11688134/Nobel-prizewinners-defend-Sir-Tim-Hunt-amid-sexism-row.html Nobel prizewinners defend Sir Tim Hunt amid 'sexism' row] (via [http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2015/06/20/i-thought-they-didnt-like-hyperbole/ FtB])</ref> | + | <ref name=tele>'''2015-06-20''' [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/11688134/Nobel-prizewinners-defend-Sir-Tim-Hunt-amid-sexism-row.html Nobel prizewinners defend Sir Tim Hunt amid 'sexism' row] (via [http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2015/06/20/i-thought-they-didnt-like-hyperbole/ FtB]) "Sir Andre Geim, of the University of Manchester who shared the Nobel prize for physics in 2010 said that Sir Tim had been 'crucified' by ideological fanatics , and castigated UCL for 'ousting' him."</ref> |
| + | <ref name=reason>'''2015-06-13''' [http://reason.com/archives/2015/06/13/the-illiberal-persecution-of-tim-hunt The Illiberal Persecution of Tim Hunt]</ref> | ||
</references> | </references> | ||
Revision as of 22:03, 23 July 2015
Claims
- There was a "witch hunt" or "inquisition"[1] against Tim Hunt. Hunt was "crucified by fanatics"[2], an "intolerant mob"[1] and "expel[led] from public life"[1].
- How so? No relevant details given.
- Hunt was "hung out to dry" by UCL.
- If he was "hung out to dry", why did he resign voluntarily? Did he even argue with UCL about it? Where is that argument reported?
- Hunt was only joking.[1]
- But the laughter in the original recording proves that he was joking.
- More female scientists have come out in support of Hunt than have come out against.
- Documentation?
Timeline
The affair seems to have started with this Tweet by Connie St. Louis on June 8: https://twitter.com/connie_stlouis/status/607813783075954688
June 9
A Daily Beast article describes Hunt's original remarks, explains why they're a problem, and goes on to paint a broader picture of sexism in science : http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/06/09/nobel-prize-winning-biologist-calls-women-love-hungry-cry-babies.html
That article was discussed in a blog post by PZ Myers on Pharyngula: http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2015/06/09/being-a-good-scientist-doesnt-make-one-a-good-person/ "All I can say is... fuck off, dinosaur. We’re better off without you in any position of authority."
The Royal Society (of which Hunt is a member, but not an employee as far as I can tell) then "acted to distance itself" from Hunt's remarks: http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2015/06/10/mediocre/ -- the Royal Society is hardly a bastion of inclusiveness (355 years old and never once had a female president), so I can't see this as a knee-jerk reaction.
June 10
Hunt resigns from his honorary position at UCL (University College London): http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/0615/100615-tim-hunt
The position was unpaid and did not offer any special privileges; he wasn't doing research there or anything. It was purely for PR. When he dramatically failed at maintaining UCL's positive reputation, it was time to end the relationship.
June 11
PZ Myers reacts approvingly: http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2015/06/11/removing-sexism-strengthens-academia/
...but the matter didn't end there.
Links
to file
- 2015-06-13 The Illiberal Persecution of Tim Hunt
- 2015-06-14 http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2015/06/14/the-nobel-is-not-a-get-out-of-jail-free-card/
- 2015-06-15 http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2015/06/15/liberal-academia-gets-to-tell-brendan-oneill-that-hes-full-of-shit/
- 2015-06-17 http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2015/06/17/thats-a-slightly-better-apology/
- 2015-06-19 http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2015/06/19/a-question-for-richard-dawkins/
- 2015-06-20 http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2015/06/20/i-thought-they-didnt-like-hyperbole/
- 2015-06-21 http://freethoughtblogs.com/butterfliesandwheels/2015/06/utterly-ruined-by-sexist-speaker/
- 2015-06-23 http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2015/06/23/that-poor-wee-man/
- 2015-06-29 http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2015/06/29/what-does-the-chair-of-the-diversity-committee-at-the-royal-society-have-to-say-about-tim-hunt/
- 2015-06-30 http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2015/06/30/skeptics/
- 2015-07-02 The Royal Society’s ‘Diversity Committee’ Pre-Judged #TimHunt. Now UCL Should Give Him Due Process: compares Hunt's position with that of someone who is working for an income that they need. Not at all the same thing.
- 2015-07-09 http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2015/07/09/are-we-done-with-tim-hunt-now/
- 2015-07-10 http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2015/07/10/welp-i-guess-well-never-be-done-with-tim-hunt/
- 2015-07-11 http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2015/07/11/i-have-no-illusions-that-this-will-end-the-nonsense-either/
- 2015-07-18 The tape that shows Sir Tim was wronged: a recording of the speech in which the fateful statements were made, and this somehow proves Hunt was right. But the original accusations against him did not make any of the claims which the tape supposedly addresses.
- 2015-07-21 The Silence of the Shams: #WCSJ2015 Falsely Reported Sir Tim Hunt - quotes Connie St. Louis as saying "After he’d finished, there was this deathly, deathly silence. Very clearly, nobody was laughing – everybody was stony-faced.", but there's no link. Where did she say that?
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 2015-06-13 The Illiberal Persecution of Tim Hunt
- ↑ 2015-06-20 Nobel prizewinners defend Sir Tim Hunt amid 'sexism' row (via FtB) "Sir Andre Geim, of the University of Manchester who shared the Nobel prize for physics in 2010 said that Sir Tim had been 'crucified' by ideological fanatics , and castigated UCL for 'ousting' him."