Research Communications

[Alexander Berezin]

The following quote is for our on-going 
disussion on research funding and 
academic/university science. Readers may
see for themselves where they want to place 
"PEER REVIEW" within this definition.

the quote:
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UNIVERSITY.  A place in which a civilizations's 
knowledge is divided up into exclusive territories. 
The principle occupation of the academic community 
is to invent dialects sufficiently hermetic to 
prevent knowledge from passing between territories. 
By maintaining a constant flow of written material 
among the specialists of each group they are able 
to assert the acceptable technique of communication 
intended to prevent communications. This in turn 
establishes a standard which allows them to dismiss 
those who seek to communicate through generally 
accessible language as dilettantes, deformers or 
popularizers.

John Ralston Saul
"The Doubter's Companion", Penguin Books, 1995 
 
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