Professors (and authors) as con artists

By: Rachel McCarty

Posted: 9/12/07

09/12/07 - A woman scorned is a force to be reckoned with. An author scorned is a bumbling idiot.

Don D. Davis, the author of Professors As Con Artists, is one such idiot. Unable to get into a Ph.D. program, he has turned his attention to lashing out at the academic institutions that rejected him. Davis takes the side of "academic outsiders," and is hell-bent on exposing the evil conspiracy of academia.

Tackling such issues as publishing corruption, taxpayer abuse, and student abuse both intellectually and sexually, Davis tries to put a black mark on professors. While I'm sure he may have a few documented cases, it is unfair to label all professors as heartless goons who are only interested in grant money and sex.

Davis points out that many of history's renowned scientists and philosophers did not have Ph.D's, but were able to get published. Apparently the practice of rejecting the work of "academic outsiders" without even a glance at their work is a new invention.

Coincidentally, this happened to Davis right around the time when he was trying to get his work published.

"[The academic publishing world] also, of course, would never have allowed this book to be published. You are able to read this only because I also published this book myself."

While I'm sure the scientific community has benefited from a few ideas that were born at the business end of a crack pipe, it is in the best interest of the general population that too many don't slip past the censors.

Unfortunately starting your own private publishing company is just too easy these days if books like this one are being printed.

Davis does do a good job of trying to hide his inadequate research though, slipping bibliographical information into footnotes or asking the reader to refer to another book. A quick peek at a footnote shows that one quote came from a paper published in 1959. While the quote may agree with Davis's argument, it is unfair to relate it to the present-day.

At the very end of the book, Davis lists the addresses of important authorities that have the power to reform the academic system. He encourages a letter-writing campaign to fight the injustice he has experienced.

It's hard to be convinced that he is approaching this subject objectively when he keeps inserting his own experiences into the text. Davis's grudge against publishing companies is apparent in every word.

Even if you'd rather spend your tuition money on beer, Professors As Con Artists isn't going to convince anyone that your money is being wasted.