Evolution is a basic, biological process

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I've had several officers (all of whom have masters degrees or higher) read the last few posts about this and they side with me on this one. You are trying to pass off a theory as if it holds the same weight as a law using semantics.

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Well I wandered down to the physics department and asked a couple of profs (actual profs not the title that you yanks seem to hand out left,right and centre) - they say your officers are talking out of their arses. So I guess I win this hand of top trumps.

It's not mean as much as a slight as you would think. The term prof. has a certain meaning in the UK.If we say "I asked a prof." then we mean that we asked a Professor. However for reasons I don't quite understand you use terms such as associates professors, assistant professors for various posts. I'm not saying that a british professor is "better" than an american professor (a person of equal academic standing of a british prof.) but that the word seems to be so imprecise in the states that the term could mean any number of people in any number of roles.It a clarity matter rather rather than a academic pissing competition.This message has been edited by Charles Knight, 01-10-2005 11:36 AM

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I've never been to a university in the US where assistant and associate professors didn't have at the bare minimum Masters degrees in their field, or where associate professor was not a tenured position.

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But you've sort of made my point for me - All I'm saying is that Professor has a very specific association in the UK, one that is broader in the states. It's not a academic piss competition - from your own words - if someone says that they have talked to a prof - then that could mean someone at the start of their career with a masters or someone at the top of their field after 40 years. ALL I am saying is that to a brit that the term has a very specific meaning.

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No, it's pretty much restricted to permanent or semi-permanent faculty engaged in teaching or research, with proper accredation in their fields. In other words it means the same thing as it does in your country.

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No not really - your description would cover researcher,Teaching assistant, Research assistant, Lecturer A, Lecturer B, Senior Lecturer, research fellow,reader and many others. Those people all have slightly different roles and that why we use those different titles. None of those people would be described as a professor automatically.This message has been edited by Charles Knight, 01-10-2005 12:01 AMThis message has been edited by Charles Knight, 01-10-2005 12:07 AMThis message has been edited by Charles Knight, 01-10-2005 12:07 AM

It's getting hard to do here but many of the people giving lectures don't have a PhD or even a masters. I don't know what it's like in the states but teaching is something to be endured in betweeen trying to do your research (unless you are not research active and just lecture).I wouldn't bore you with the details but the UK is heading towards "teaching" universities and "research" univerisities.This message has been edited by Charles Knight, 01-10-2005 12:21 AM

What is a "4 year university"?

It's a different model here - the chair associated with a professor may have nothing to do with running a department. In fact, many departments are run by people who are crap researchers but great administrators.You still don't seem to be getting what I'm saying - I'm not saying that a british professor is better than an american professor - I'm just saying to someone who works in the british academic system, the american use of the term is too non-specific.

Where did you get that Dawkin's quote from? Is it AIG? I'd like to see the context in which they use it and if they omit what he says directly afterwards.

Sorry I should have made it clear - I already know what context it was in - I was wondering where Dodo had got it from.Thanks for the effort!