Darwin-L Message Log 1:93 (September 1993)

Academic Discussion on the History and Theory of the Historical Sciences

This is one message from the Archives of Darwin-L (1993–1997), a professional discussion group on the history and theory of the historical sciences.

Note: Additional publications on evolution and the historical sciences by the Darwin-L list owner are available on SSRN.

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<1:93>From SOSLEWIS@ACS.EKU.EDU  Sat Sep 11 09:16:22 1993

Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1993 10:18:27 -0400 (EDT)
From: SOSLEWIS@ACS.EKU.EDU
Subject: Re: Introduction
To: darwin-l@ukanaix.cc.ukans.edu

Hi Peter:  In response to your observations of the evolution of legal
writs I would like to commment on a couple of similar things. It is not
uncommon for an existing institution to maintain its integrity by merely
shifting its function. In my classes students are reminded that the Feudal
System is alive and doing quite well in most universities, where colleges
and departments are analogous to Medieval fieds. We have King Hanley
Thunderbird (Funderburk) I and a string of princely Vice Presidents and
several Ducal Deans. At the bottom are the students who pay the Medieval
dues as tuition. Even the quaint and curious costumes worn at graduation
and the rituals performed are not exactly new.  Another good case is the
March of Dimes originally founded to combat polio which found itself with
a profitable structure and no cause when the polio vaccine was developed.
But the officials of the organization were not dismayed they merely changed
their function to another ailment which should allow them to exit well into
the forseeable future as they find a cure for birth defects.
  I wonder how many other examples of a similar nature there are out there?
  Ray, EKU
  soslewis@acs.eku.edu

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