MIT indefinitely removes online physics lectures and courses by Walter Lewin

Re:MIT indefinitely removes online physics lectures and cour... by sadfaceunread on Monday December 08, 2014 @09:37PM (#8720652)

This is exactly my opinion as well. We don't remove books from the library because the author had moral failings, or even if the author committed genocide. The content has value and should be preserved. The removal of the content from OCW is the step too far. Lewin absolutely should be restricted from further teaching at MIT or on MITx but the work itself should not be considered problematic.

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Re:MIT indefinitely removes online physics lectures and cour... by waterlesscloud on Monday December 08, 2014 @09:48PM (#8720694)

It's weird. I'm all for punishing sexual harassment, but I just don't see how removing his content from OCW does anything but punish society. It's not like static material is suddenly going to start harassing people.

As you say, they wouldn't remove an author's books in this case. How are course notes and videos any different?

Poor decision, in my opinion.

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Re:MIT indefinitely removes online physics lectures and cour... by Steuard on Monday December 08, 2014 @10:53PM (#8720921)

I've talked about this at greater length in another comment, but removing OCW content strikes me as a serious blow to any professor's legacy. For someone who invested years into that project, that's one heck of a punishment; it's one of the harshest things I can think of that MIT could do to a retired professor.

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Re:MIT indefinitely removes online physics lectures and cour... by gmu3 on Monday December 08, 2014 @10:59PM (#8720947)

Actually a lot of Nazi research such as Pernkopf Anatomy is removed from the library/institutions on ethical grounds.

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Re:MIT indefinitely removes online physics lectures and cour... by defen on Monday December 08, 2014 @11:31PM (#8721042)

That research was acquired via unethical means; Lewin's lectures aren't related to or a product of the sexual harassment.

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Re:MIT indefinitely removes online physics lectures and cour... by xienze on Monday December 08, 2014 @10:12PM (#8720776)

They're probably worried about being perceived as supporting the professor by having his lectures online. It's silly, but that's the world we live in. There are people who will absolutely lose their minds over the thought of this guy's lectures being online after a sexual harassment claim.

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