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This whole discussion reminds me of Kurt Vonnegut's Player Piano. Sadly no such reference has been made yet. Maybe that's because not a lot of Germans have read

This whole discussion reminds me of Kurt Vonnegut's Player Piano. Sadly no such reference has been made yet. Maybe that's because not a lot of Germans have read it. Anyway, it sheds the whole discussion in a new light. The person in charge of education and research should not plagiarize, no doubt, but in general, if a person proves consistently that they can do their job, isn't the degree system that's supposed to determine who is able to do a particular job a little too rigid and deserves to be undermined? On the other hand there's the real hard work of those who don't cheat, and they'll demand justice. A difficult problem.

ableal 14y ago
[ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Player_Piano_%28novel%29 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Player_Piano_%28novel%29 , not part of the half dozen KV books I've read either ] I'd also guess it's not the ability to the the job that's in question, it's the will to do it ethically. Would you trust the work of someone who's known to cut corners in order to declare the job done?
- xyzzy123 14y ago
  Sure. Sometimes it beats the alternative.
raphman 14y ago
The issue here is not primarily that the minister for education and science should have a PhD. The scandal here is that Annette Schavan claims that she did not plagiarize when it is obvious that she did. When the university rescinded her doctorate, she announced to sue it. A minister who is unable to accept a university's (rightful) decision undermines their independence. For me, the most egregious part of this affair was that several officials of big research organizations - who get a majority of their budget from the federal ministry - defended Schavan and attacked the university.
PavlovsCat 14y ago
if a person proves consistently that they can do their job What if the opposite is the case? Humboldt said education is so important, the whole nation has to support it by paying taxes. Now? Elite universities, university fees. Not her fault alone, but also not something she resisted a whole lot, right? Hence I claim a shitty job, and how she can be called a "victim" is beyond me; good riddance I say, pity the next one will likely be just as bad and in the pockets of her handlers.

ableal 14y ago

[ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Player_Piano_%28novel%29 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Player_Piano_%28novel%29 , not part of the half dozen KV books I've read either ] I'd also guess it's not the ability to the the job that's in question, it's the will to do it ethically. Would you trust the work of someone who's known to cut corners in order to declare the job done?

xyzzy123 14y ago
Sure. Sometimes it beats the alternative.

raphman 14y ago

The issue here is not primarily that the minister for education and science should have a PhD. The scandal here is that Annette Schavan claims that she did not plagiarize when it is obvious that she did. When the university rescinded her doctorate, she announced to sue it. A minister who is unable to accept a university's (rightful) decision undermines their independence. For me, the most egregious part of this affair was that several officials of big research organizations - who get a majority of their budget from the federal ministry - defended Schavan and attacked the university.

PavlovsCat 14y ago

if a person proves consistently that they can do their job What if the opposite is the case? Humboldt said education is so important, the whole nation has to support it by paying taxes. Now? Elite universities, university fees. Not her fault alone, but also not something she resisted a whole lot, right? Hence I claim a shitty job, and how she can be called a "victim" is beyond me; good riddance I say, pity the next one will likely be just as bad and in the pockets of her handlers.