Denyse O’Leary: Embarrassingly Ignorant?

Denyse O’Leary: Embarrassingly Ignorant?

Over at Dembski’s wankfest, Denyse O’Leary is having an outragegasm over her favorite PZ Myers quote. So nothing new to report in that respect.

But a few sentences caught my attention:

Myers, who teaches at a Minnesota liberal arts university that is proud of its status […]

But most Americans do not know even about it, let alone contemplate what it means that a teacher at a “liberal arts” university should express himself in this way.

Thus, a person who writes as Myers does is nonetheless viewed as a mild-mannered gentleman and scholar, worthy a place at a liberal arts university.

The only way I can imagine this making sense is if O’Leary thinks that a liberal arts college is a politically left-leaning school.

Denyse, if you happen to stumble upon this post, allow me to quote from a source you might trust: Conservapædia:

Liberal arts refers to the non-technical disciplines ordinarily taught as part of a baseline college education at American colleges. These include philosophy, history and English literature, and sometimes Latin, which lay the foundation for a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree. As such, many American colleges are referred to as “liberal arts institutions.” Technical fields of study are common, but not included under the aegis “liberal arts.” In Europe and Canada the Liberal arts are generally called the ‘Humanities’.

The term bears no connection with the modern political ideology of liberalism, save in the classic, historical sense.

Comments 6

One thought on “Denyse O’Leary: Embarrassingly Ignorant?”

  1. Denyse has a fan up my way, who quotes her (in a post that seems like a random rant against several of her obsessions). I left an appropriate comment there, which 40 hours later still appears to be in moderation. I’ll give it a while longer, then drop a polite email asking if she’s too busy to moderate her blog comments.

  4. I left an appropriate comment there, which 40 hours later still appears to be in moderation.

    Maybe it’s just me, but it does seem as though conservative and creationist sites are much more into moderating and deleting comments (like the legions of people banned from Uncommon Descent; or the Expelled folks kicking PZ out of a screening he signed up for. Though I must point out Ray Comfort’s weblog as a notable exception).

    Perhaps they’re in the process of “denormalizing” the free marketplace of ideas.

  5. Though I must point out Ray Comfort’s weblog as a notable exception

    Is his weblog subtitled “1001 Things To Do With A Banana”?

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