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New doctoral thesis proposes Buckminster Fuller was a 'charlatan'

research.aalto.fi

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Re: New doctoral thesis proposes Buckminster Fuller was a 'charlatan'

#21

Post by HillRat »

While it's impossible to know without having actual access to the work, something that's sadly lacking, I've got to say that I'm looking a bit askance at a School of Architecture dissertation that conducts a psychological analysis of its subject with a clinical assessment of "grandiose narcissism." Likewise, I don't think I'd expect much from a PsyD's dissertation on architectural tensegrity.

However, the dissertation defense was held against Jonathan Woodham, who's a noted scholar of 20th-century architectural history, so there's likely something there, even though without the dissertation to read the abstract seems exceptionally combative and audacious.

Re: New doctoral thesis proposes Buckminster Fuller was a 'charlatan'

#22

Post by skhunted »

dominicq wrote: post #19

I find it silly that this could be a topic of a doctoral thesis. You're a doctor of what, of knowing whether Fuller was a charlatan? Charlatanry is extremely subjective, as is genius. I guess I could see this being a Twitter rant or something, but the whole premise - that this could even be an object of academic study - is unnatural to me.

Historians of science would be interested in the topic as would those studying the sociology of scientific communities. In this day of rampant pseudoscience and distrust of scientists it is of interest to know if and how fellow scientists were snookered.

Intelligence agencies like to study and understand the propagation of false information.

Re: New doctoral thesis proposes Buckminster Fuller was a 'charlatan'

#24

Post by illuminant »

HERACY!

These people are rewarded for publishing.

Fuller was over the top in many ways, yet one cannot have witnessed a remnant of his works (Biosphere 2 "lungs") and deny his substance was genius. Whatever his essentricities the man delivered on vision.

He is cited commonly in a dozen ways to this day. I still say "trim tab".

This so called intellectual is the jealous fraud.

Re: New doctoral thesis proposes Buckminster Fuller was a 'charlatan'

#25

Post by bitnasty »

aiauthoritydev wrote: post #11

> Genius or Charlatanry? - A psychobiographical reinterpretation of the life and works of Buckminster Fuller Actually a person can be both. I think Elon Musk is one such person.

Why do you say Musk is a genius? Because he has purchased large, sexy tech companies?

Re: New doctoral thesis proposes Buckminster Fuller was a 'charlatan'

#27

Post by smeagull »

dominicq wrote: post #19

I find it silly that this could be a topic of a doctoral thesis. You're a doctor of what, of knowing whether Fuller was a charlatan? Charlatanry is extremely subjective, as is genius. I guess I could see this being a Twitter rant or something, but the whole premise - that this could even be an object of academic study - is unnatural to me.

A thesis is more a proof that you can handle a particular type of research or investigation. I myself haven't touched the particular specialised field of my thesis since I submitted it.

It also doesn't mean that the Author particularly enjoys or finds the topic that interesting. I've often heard that if you have a favourite topic, you should at best find a thesis topic that is adjacent or related, and I'd tend to agree.

Re: New doctoral thesis proposes Buckminster Fuller was a 'charlatan'

#28

Post by smeagull »

pseingatl wrote: post #3

How can you read the thesis?

There's an "ACCESS DOCUMENT" link on the right of the page, which informs you that you can access it by visiting the Harald Herlin Learning Centre.

Which is a bit sad. My thesis is available online. Which might be sadder.

Re: New doctoral thesis proposes Buckminster Fuller was a 'charlatan'

#30

Post by illuminant »

illuminant wrote: post #24

HERACY! These people are rewarded for publishing. Fuller was over the top in many ways, yet one cannot have witnessed a remnant of his works (Biosphere 2 "lungs") and deny his substance was genius. Whatever his essentricities the man delivered on vision. He is cited commonly in a dozen ways to this day. I still say "trim tab". This so called intellectual is the jealous fraud.

Of haters hating, Zarathustra says "love the great despisers for they are the great adorers, arrows of longing for other shores."
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