bumbling amateurs

[Alan5319]

In article <922923770.2402.342 at excite.com>, timbukt2 at excite.com (Charles
Gavette) writes:

>
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One of the primary functions of an academic is to analyse complex ideas and
data. The results of any analysis should demonstrate how conclusions were
arrived at in an articulate manner. Mr Gavette fails on all these counts. His
most recent post was nothing more than a ramble through obscure words and
incoherent ideas.

This argument may be appropriate in some countries. It is certainly not worthy
of any consideration in Great Britain.

The Victorian Age produced bumbling amateur natural historians who developed
the foundations on which much of our modern knowledge is built. Perhaps in
other countries you have not heard of any of them. If Mr Gavette thinks Gilbert
White was a 'bumbler' then he may have little true understanding of the natural
world. The list of such amateurs could become vast.

To turn to more recent times in the United Kingdom, although much valuable work
is being done by professional entomologists, the work of the common 'bumblers'
has produced such irreplaceable works as 'Moths of the British Isles'
(Skinner), 'The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland' (Heath,
Emmet, Pelham-Clinton, Agassiz, Langmaid, et al), 'British Pyralid Moths'
(Goater) and, indeed, most of the County lists. Every one of these people who
are still within this mortal veil have helped us, and many others. They will
continue to do so, voluntarily, to incerase the base of knowledge and carry on
the science. They deserve more consideration than to be thought of by anyone as
'bumbling amateurs'. We are hopeful that such 'bumbling' has helped to assist
other bumblers in their pursuit of an understanding of things there are enough
of for us all to have a go at and their fascination with things in the natural
world that there are not enough of us to truly understand.

By the way, we love the free advert for 'excite' at the end!

Alan & Jeri Coates
'Bumbling' County Recorders for VC 66
'Bumbling' Archivists BENHS