Re: [Leica] Formal education needed?

[Barney Quinn <barney@ncep.noaa.gov>]

Erwin,

The Internet is a wild, woolly, unruly, and often cruel place. I have a
confession to make. The second I started to read your original konica post I
wondered how long it would be before Stephen Gandy challenged your post. By the
way, Stephen, I think I missed the post in which you listed your CV. I think
that it took some courage for you to make this post, and I'm impressed. Good for
you.

Lyndon Johnson, one of our more colorful former presidents, once issued a
warning about getting into a pissing contest with a skunk on the grounds that a
casual observer might not be able to tell who the skunk was. I have a similar
policy about arguing with fools for the same reason. It's easy to attack, hard
to create or shed light. There's a cadre of people on the LUG whom you will
never convince. I wouldn't even try.

The LUG may well need to do a bit of introspection. All manner of assertions are
made here. Sometimes they even have to do with photography. Most days no proof
is required or credentials demanded. Why are some individuals so cathected when
it comes to Erwin's posts? Are we indulging in what sociologists sometimes call
"in-group virtues and out-group vices," meaning that if the controlling cadre -
the alpha-posters as it were - do it it's a goof thing but if anyone else does
it it's a sin?

Think about it guys.

Barney

Erwin Puts wrote:

> It is quite remarkable that the insistence of formal education has popped up
> recently and even more remarkable seems to apply to one individual only.
> If we stay in the realm of testing lenses, which according to that ad hoc
> criterium can be done reliably only when having a university degree in
> optics and/or a long working life in a company that designs lenses, we
> should discard all lens testing in the photographic world:
> None of the testers of Chasseurs d'Images has such a degree or working
> experience, nor the Modern Photography testers (Herbert Keppler as example),
> nor the Photo Techniques people (has Mike Johnston (I have forgotten more
> about photography that you will ever know) a degree in these topics?), nor
> has Popular Photography, Photodo, Shutterbug etc, Color Photo, Photo
> Magazin, even the super famous Geoffrey Crawley, cited often in Viewfinder,
> does not have these requirements.
> And to stay on a personal level: have Tom Abrahamson, the staff of
> Viewfinder, and all of the other respected Luggers who occassionally present
> their test results these qualifications? Not to forget Mr Gandy himself!
> What is his track record in these topics?
> It is well known that most photographers do not have formal education in
> their craft or art and still can produce outstanding work.
> To drift a bit: the mechanical clock and  and the invention of the latitude
> as a tool for navigation were invented by amateurs against the formally
> educated university professors who argued against their knowledge.
> Fraunhofer, of the famous glass works and Fraunhofer lines was an amateur
> etc.
> The topic of the necessity of a formal education as a prerequisite for being
> taken serious or being able to perform at all, has a long cultural history.
> The balance of history is in favour of the amateurs. But that as an aside.
>
> It is quite strange that the individual(s) who demand formal expertise from
> others, do not possess it themselves, and in the same sentence  refer to
> others as reliable and trustworthy sources, who do not qualify either.
>
> It is evidently the case that this demand for qualifications is not
> introduced as a serious safeguard against quaks or charlatans, but as a very
> blunt and conspicious instrument to fend off and discredit the work of one
> specific individual only.
>
> Luckely for me the reviews of my book in all magazines are quite positive,
> if not raving. So are the readers. And I did state that I am not formally
> trained in these topics. Some at least are less blinded and more open minded
> than others.
> But you need to have some quality to recognize quality in some body else.
> Read Pirsig: Zen and the Art of Motorcycling for a discussion of these
> topics.
>
> Erwin
>
>