At risk of relying totally on assumptions, that wouldn't be a surprising reaction for someone facing first serious criticism after an entire life of probably being unconditionally lauded for their smarts (or the projection of it). When parents push children towards something relentlessly without providing any constructive feedback on account of living their dreams through their children and/or the fear of discouraging the child, any criticism can feel like someone is trying to destroy your life goals.

> Their supervisors tell me that they are close to firing them but then also celebrate all the publications they are getting.

Probably trying to protect themselves from being in the crosshairs of one of many things that can blow your career apart.

Some from reputable universities. I have no idea how they defended them.

Maybe it's time we unshackled ourselves from these 'prestigious institutions'?

They’re using an industry tool to do well trodden industry problems that were solved by academics decades ago.

I’m not tolerating his behaviour and I’ve made my views clear to my colleagues. He’s going to burn every bridge possible with this behaviour.

I think Socrates was a hoot, and he taught in a cave or something like that.

Priests teaching rural peasants to read in their monasteries, and collegial colleges for the public benefit are definitely meritorious.

But,I mean, there is enormous corruption going on.

How did Ren Youzai get into MIT? He was a body guard. Just because you've married into a billionaire's family MIT says "hey, send anyone you want in"?

And I'm sure MIT isn't alone in mysteriously average students who not only get in but graduate when linked to massively rich and powerful families. A recent US president comes to mind. Is that anti-intellectual?

And the "large numbers of students" covers up the possible cronyism and/or corruption of the institution.

I provide an example of a totally unqualified individual being allowed into a prestigious institution solely on the basis of his marriage family. Your response is that they mostly do a good job for most people?

I've suggested that the research they do is not obviously beneficial to anyone except perhaps the person doing the research, possibly simply to advance their own careers (in or out of academia). Others have suggested the same.

You haven't disagreed.

And I have no hobby horses, just a high horse, and you better hold your horses or else you'll be just be whipping a dead horse.

Your unwillingness to defend and advance your position is duly noted. Have a nice day.

I'm not sure whether you're joking or serious, but in any case, Socrates didn't teach in a cave, and you're probably referring to Plato's allegory of the cave.

The interlocuters and followers of Socrates were mostly the wealthy elite of Athens.

I think I was mixing him up with Aristotle, e.g. https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people/caves-...

who had some cave school or something.

but there was some jokingness, yah. But I'm not anti-intellectual, which wasn't a joke.

I wasn't making any point about his students or wealth. Education then, as now, is the plaything of the wealthy and wealthy nations.

(first quack) "For example, in 2022–23, the average total cost of attendance for first-time, full-time undergraduate students living on campus at 4-year degree-granting institutions was higher at private nonprofit institutions ($58,600) than at private for-profit institutions ($33,600) and public institutions ($27,100).4"

https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=76

Or, if the requirement of a college degree for high school level work suggests, an expensive barrier for employment?

(random quack on the topic I could find) https://www.vox.com/policy/23628627/degree-inflation-college...

You can say luxury sports cars are "accessible" if you want to finance a $150,000 car. And effectively that's what many (most? all?) college degrees are: luxury sports cars.

Do you think criticism of religious organizations is “against god”?

I think there is value revisiting some of this work with our modern toolsets and publishing the code in some public repository.

But of course with a clear citation chain, and no pompous lies that a new discovery was made.

When I made the point that there is no scientific novelty here they insisted that their PhD was a ‘generic’ one and that means they can continue to run basic simulations according the to the recipe.