Comments for Informed Opinions, Reliable Sources http://www.blog.informedopinions.org helping to bridge the gender gap in Canadian public discourse Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:16:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Comment on On Laura Secord, long skirts and women’s history by Allen Esterson http://www.blog.informedopinions.org/?p=630#comment-1938 Allen Esterson Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:16:04 +0000 http://www.blog.informedopinions.org/?p=630#comment-1938 I fully subscribe to the importance of revealing hitherto unappreciated accomplishments of women in various spheres, but it is equally important not to risk bringing such endeavours into disrepute by putting forward contentions of doubtful validity. Taking my cue from the title of your blog, informed opinion (several historians of physics who have investigated the claims) has concluded there is no serious evidence that Mileva Maric contributed to Einstein's celebrated 1905 papers. Close investigation of such claims reveals that they are based on unreliable sources. Maric failed her physics and mathematics teaching diploma final examinations twice, and there is no authenticated work by her in either subject beyond that related to her Zurich Polytechnic course. See, for example: John Stachel (1996), "Albert Einstein and Mileva Maric: A Collaboration That Failed to Develop": http://philoscience.unibe.ch/lehre/winter99/einstein/Stachel1966.pdf Alberto A. Martínez (2005), "Handling evidence in history: the case of Einstein’s wife": https://webspace.utexas.edu/aam829/1/m/Maric_files/EvidenceMaric.pdf I fully subscribe to the importance of revealing hitherto unappreciated accomplishments of women in various spheres, but it is equally important not to risk bringing such endeavours into disrepute by putting forward contentions of doubtful validity. Taking my cue from the title of your blog, informed opinion (several historians of physics who have investigated the claims) has concluded there is no serious evidence that Mileva Maric contributed to Einstein’s celebrated 1905 papers. Close investigation of such claims reveals that they are based on unreliable sources.

Maric failed her physics and mathematics teaching diploma final examinations twice, and there is no authenticated work by her in either subject beyond that related to her Zurich Polytechnic course. See, for example:

John Stachel (1996), “Albert Einstein and Mileva Maric: A Collaboration That Failed to Develop”:
http://philoscience.unibe.ch/lehre/winter99/einstein/Stachel1966.pdf

Alberto A. Martínez (2005), “Handling evidence in history: the case of Einstein’s wife”:
https://webspace.utexas.edu/aam829/1/m/Maric_files/EvidenceMaric.pdf

]]> Comment on Women in combat picture speaks a thousand words by admin http://www.blog.informedopinions.org/?p=595#comment-1931 admin Fri, 04 Nov 2011 21:21:42 +0000 http://www.blog.informedopinions.org/?p=595#comment-1931 Critical context, Jerry, and I can see how my comments could be seen as a very simplistic and reductive analysis. I didn't in any way mean to justify the egregiously named "collateral damage" or any other aspect of what's gone on in Afghanistan. But I found the photograph compelling and the oppression of women in Afghanistan remains a deeply complicating issue. Critical context, Jerry, and I can see how my comments could be seen as a very simplistic and reductive analysis. I didn’t in any way mean to justify the egregiously named “collateral damage” or any other aspect of what’s gone on in Afghanistan. But I found the photograph compelling and the oppression of women in Afghanistan remains a deeply complicating issue.

]]> Comment on Women in combat picture speaks a thousand words by Jerry Fresia http://www.blog.informedopinions.org/?p=595#comment-1930 Jerry Fresia Thu, 03 Nov 2011 07:15:00 +0000 http://www.blog.informedopinions.org/?p=595#comment-1930 The words "caress of appreciation" and "choice to serve" jump out at me. With 20,000 civilians killed, most of whom have been women and children, the photo may suggest the triumph of solidarity or kindness amid the horrors of a 20 year war and occupation by western military forces. The story seems to be suggesting female victims of war appreciate invading armies when it is women who are carrying the guns. The words “caress of appreciation” and “choice to serve” jump out at me. With 20,000 civilians killed, most of whom have been women and children, the photo may suggest the triumph of solidarity or kindness amid the horrors of a 20 year war and occupation by western military forces. The story seems to be suggesting female victims of war appreciate invading armies when it is women who are carrying the guns.

]]> Comment on Do feminists have an obligation to “out” themselves? by Jerry Fresia http://www.blog.informedopinions.org/?p=602#comment-1929 Jerry Fresia Tue, 01 Nov 2011 07:44:33 +0000 http://www.blog.informedopinions.org/?p=602#comment-1929 Good discussion but there is a question begging to be asked: why tolerate hierarchies, particularly when the implication is that they are not legitimate to start with? Words like "leadership," "effectiveness," "success," and of course the grandmommy of them all - "career," convey a certain hollowness if the activity of leadership, etc, in part, reproduces the hierarchy of life chances that leadership is supposed to be opposing. If such activities, on the other hand, were aimed at moving toward a way of life where one class (fill in the blank) was not subordinate to another, such activities would be less hollow: empowerment would be their express purpose. To empower within the context of hierarchy is contradictory, is it not? Good discussion but there is a question begging to be asked: why tolerate hierarchies, particularly when the implication is that they are not legitimate to start with? Words like “leadership,” “effectiveness,” “success,” and of course the grandmommy of them all – “career,” convey a certain hollowness if the activity of leadership, etc, in part, reproduces the hierarchy of life chances that leadership is supposed to be opposing. If such activities, on the other hand, were aimed at moving toward a way of life where one class (fill in the blank) was not subordinate to another, such activities would be less hollow: empowerment would be their express purpose. To empower within the context of hierarchy is contradictory, is it not?

]]> Comment on Sexual assault – defining consent, round 2 by Anonymous http://www.blog.informedopinions.org/?p=387#comment-1134 Anonymous Fri, 17 Jun 2011 03:39:03 +0000 http://www.blog.informedopinions.org/?p=387#comment-1134 Thank you for helping to get this analysis out. My husband sexually assaulted me in my sleep multiple times. I am still in therapy and I spent part of today feeling body memories, even though it was a couple of years ago. I do my best to work and parent while dealing with these challenges. What he did was the most horrific thing anyone has ever done to me - and I have been through many difficult challenges in my life. But to be assaulted by my own husband in my own bed while I was at my most vulnerable so he could do things he knew I wasn't even okay with when awake....it is not something I ever could have, in any way, prepared myself for. Oh, and he knew what he was doing. He mocked me when I woke up, terrified. And this man is a white collar executive with advanced education. He looks like anyone else. He never hit me, but he found lots of other ways to be abusive - and sexual assault is a horrific kind of violence. Thank you for helping to get this analysis out. My husband sexually assaulted me in my sleep multiple times. I am still in therapy and I spent part of today feeling body memories, even though it was a couple of years ago. I do my best to work and parent while dealing with these challenges. What he did was the most horrific thing anyone has ever done to me – and I have been through many difficult challenges in my life. But to be assaulted by my own husband in my own bed while I was at my most vulnerable so he could do things he knew I wasn’t even okay with when awake….it is not something I ever could have, in any way, prepared myself for. Oh, and he knew what he was doing. He mocked me when I woke up, terrified. And this man is a white collar executive with advanced education. He looks like anyone else. He never hit me, but he found lots of other ways to be abusive – and sexual assault is a horrific kind of violence.

]]> Comment on Canadian election: Desperately seeking informed opinions by Shelley Wilson http://www.blog.informedopinions.org/?p=317#comment-659 Shelley Wilson Fri, 25 Mar 2011 15:38:13 +0000 http://www.blog.informedopinions.org/?p=317#comment-659 I grow increasingly incensed at the media lumping all Tory misconduct together and dismissing it as "scandal". That word minimizes the situation. "Scandal" is Charlie Sheen in a hotel room with a shed-load of cocaine. Subverting the people's House is a much graver business. I grow increasingly incensed at the media lumping all Tory misconduct together and dismissing it as “scandal”. That word minimizes the situation. “Scandal” is Charlie Sheen in a hotel room with a shed-load of cocaine. Subverting the people’s House is a much graver business.

]]> Comment on Women Make News by Deborah Hanscom http://www.blog.informedopinions.org/?p=53#comment-59 Deborah Hanscom Tue, 12 Oct 2010 14:34:29 +0000 http://www.blog.informedopinions.org/?p=53#comment-59 Until our society recognizes the value of unpaid work done by women and compensates them appropriately, 'equality' is just an idea not reality. There are many ways to design and phase in a fair scheme of payment, but the discussion must begin. Until our society recognizes the value of unpaid work done by women and compensates them appropriately, ‘equality’ is just an idea not reality. There are many ways to design and phase in a fair scheme of payment, but the discussion must begin.

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