3 ms·

First of all, Knuth would never publish something "garbage" because his reputation would be on the line for everyone to read (forever).

Test0129 4y ago
I mean it was an example I chose because the name recognition in HN. I would doubt Knuth would publish garbage. Then again, how would you know? If you've never been in academia it's understandable to think that way. But if you have, you realize the immense pressure, self-doubt, and scrutiny you'd have even making a bold, well researched, attempt to prove someone like knuth wrong even if it was obvious he was. I recall several instances in mathematics where this happened and it bordered on starting a war between mathematicians.
- manholio 4y ago
  > I would doubt Knuth would publish garbage Rather, Knuth could publish some mediocre paper that would be instantly accepted by all the top journals, widely read, discussed and cited instead of more salient works on similar topics. That's the problem really, excellence is rare while mediocrity is aplenty and academia is a numbers game. The mediocres with prodigious output will get the cites, tenure, TAs, lab assistants and budgets to do research and perhaps stumble onto some other mediocre result, reinforcing the cycle.
ptmcc 4y ago
Your response perfectly illustrates the point OP was making
oreally 4y ago
Or he would never publish something "garbage" because people are convinced by his reputation that it will not be garbage. Emperor's new clothes, while the rest need to be whiter than white and all that. These things happen because people are blinded by titles in a complex world with complex people.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
SassyThrowaway 4y ago
The point is that a famous name gives an edge in peer review to a (potentially mediocre) paper written primarily by somebody else with the famous name appended.
klyrs 4y ago
Even great mathematicians try to put out garbage unaware of their senility in their final years. I've seen it personally, and the reviewer made contact with a friend of the author, who volunteered to be a pre-filter to avoid future embarrassment

Test0129 4y ago

I mean it was an example I chose because the name recognition in HN. I would doubt Knuth would publish garbage. Then again, how would you know? If you've never been in academia it's understandable to think that way. But if you have, you realize the immense pressure, self-doubt, and scrutiny you'd have even making a bold, well researched, attempt to prove someone like knuth wrong even if it was obvious he was. I recall several instances in mathematics where this happened and it bordered on starting a war between mathematicians.

manholio 4y ago
> I would doubt Knuth would publish garbage Rather, Knuth could publish some mediocre paper that would be instantly accepted by all the top journals, widely read, discussed and cited instead of more salient works on similar topics. That's the problem really, excellence is rare while mediocrity is aplenty and academia is a numbers game. The mediocres with prodigious output will get the cites, tenure, TAs, lab assistants and budgets to do research and perhaps stumble onto some other mediocre result, reinforcing the cycle.

ptmcc 4y ago

Your response perfectly illustrates the point OP was making

oreally 4y ago

Or he would never publish something "garbage" because people are convinced by his reputation that it will not be garbage. Emperor's new clothes, while the rest need to be whiter than white and all that. These things happen because people are blinded by titles in a complex world with complex people.

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]

SassyThrowaway 4y ago

The point is that a famous name gives an edge in peer review to a (potentially mediocre) paper written primarily by somebody else with the famous name appended.

klyrs 4y ago

Even great mathematicians try to put out garbage unaware of their senility in their final years. I've seen it personally, and the reviewer made contact with a friend of the author, who volunteered to be a pre-filter to avoid future embarrassment