Andrew Ross
Phil Agre (pagre who-is-at weber.ucsd.edu)
Fri, 24 May 1996 18:42:03 -0700 (PDT)
I am a little concerned by the speculation I have seen here and elsewhere
on the net about the circumstances of A. Sokal's article being published
in Social Text. Ross has been quoted in the press, and has circulated a
longish text on the Internet, saying that the journal editors regarded the
article as hokey but published it despite the author'
s refusal to make requested extensive changes, as a document of a physicist's
attempt to engage the critical literature. I am curious whether those who
are circulating downright defamatory speculations about Ross' motivations
have heard his explanations and disbelieve them, or whether they are
speculating in this fashion without having heard Ross' side of the story.
Although I personally find Ross' academic writing a little bit lightweight,
and I regret his tendency to make glib and easily misinterpreted public
statements in a misguided attempt to flout the powers that be, nonetheless
he is a serious and energetic scholar who has brought together several
interesting and even important cross-disciplinary groups of researchers
in meetings over the last decade.
Phil Agre, UCSD