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Academic Credentials and Wikiality

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the matter-of-degrees dept.

An anonymous reader writes "A prominent Wikipedia administrator and Wikia employee has been caught lying to the media and 'other' professors about his academic credentials. Wikipedia's Essjay has been representing himself as 'a tenured professor of theology at a private university in the eastern United States; I teach both undergraduate and graduate theology. My Academic Degrees: Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies (B.A.), Master of Arts in Religion (M.A.R.), Doctorate of Philosophy in Theology (Ph.D.), Doctorate in Canon Law (JCD).' His real identity came to light after Wikia offered him a job: It turns out that he is really 24 years old with no degree living in Louisville, KY. Wikipedia's co-founder, Jimbo Wales, says 'I regard it as a pseudonym and I don't really have a problem with it.' How will this affect Wikipedia's already shaky reputation with the academic world?"

4 of 429 comments (clear)

  1. Leave him alone! by SSonnentag · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    For me this is just more proof that it doesn't matter what degrees you have under your belt, it's what you DO that matters. This guy is obviously intelligent and motivated. He has helped to produce one of the best information sites in the world. If he wants to have an alter web identity, more power to him. Just leave him alone.

    1. Re:Leave him alone! by shaitand · · Score: 1, Flamebait

      Basically you just said the same thing as the guy I responded to.

      'If you're that good, you will get recognition with or without the paper.'

      How are you ever going to show anybody that your that good if they won't give anyone who doesn't have the piece of paper the opportunity? Lying about credentials on resumes is actually fairly common and some of those liars are the best performers ever hired. But you can bet that regardless of skill or merit they wouldn't be hired if they hadn't claimed to have the paper.

      In this case the guy fibbed came to a worthwhile position at wikipedia. I haven't heard anyone able to disparage anything he actually did in that position; in fact he helped build wikipedia and that is true merit. The fact is that this guy lying about a piece of paper was probably why he got into the position he did and in that position he was able to help build something that impacted the globe in a positive way.

      Lets say I get a job as a shoesalesmen claiming to have a high school diploma instead of a GED and then work my way up to management and am finally instrumental in growing the store into a multi-million dollar chain. Who the hell cares that I lied about some insignificant and unimportant piece of paper? My results are what matter. A degree is a notation at the bottom of your resume that you get as a reward for kissing pompous professor tail for several years not an award of merit.

      Or for another example. If a recruit lies about his age to join the military. While in the military forrest carries his fallen comrades out of the jungle and danger and thereby saves 20 lives. Afterward he is awarded a medal of honor for his actions. Would you support an effort to strip the man of the medal he earned with merit because he fibbed on the paperwork to get the opportunity to show that merit?

  2. Re:A pseudonym? by Corwn+of+Amber · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Meaningless degrees?

    "Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies (B.A.),
    Master of Arts in Religion (M.A.R.),
    Doctorate of Philosophy in Theology (Ph.D.),
    Doctorate in Canon Law (JCD)"

    Nothing to see here. Nope, nothing at all.

    Doctorate in Canon Law? Yeah, he is supposed to know everything about the Laws handed down by God - who does not exist.

    --
    Making laws based on opinions that stem up from false informations leads to witch hunts.
  3. Theologian or Liar - Is there a difference? by rdmiller3 · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Essjay has been representing himself as 'a tenured professor of theology... [degree, degree, degree, ...].
    His real identity came to light after Wikia offered him a job: It turns out that he is really 24 years old with no degree living in Louisville, KY.

    A professor of theology teaches about imaginary things and pretends to know what he's talking about.

    A 24-year-old liar makes things up and pretends to know what he's talking about.

    I'm wondering what the difference is. Neither one would be good for a reliable reference site.