Daniel C. Peterson: well-respected scholar? or not?

[_gramps]

I thought you all might want to check out this thread I came across this morning on the RfM board. Perhaps, it is bound to become a classic.

http://www.exmormon.org/boards/w-agora/view.php?bn=exmobb_recovery&key=1162193808&newest=1162259838

[_Mister Scratch]

Ouch. This assessment from Tal Bachman is quite brutal. Then again, Prof. P. has long been asking for it, as he has been pretty relentless in referring to Bachman as "Tal Tales". The most devastating bit is indeed the quote from Peterson's own alma mater, UCLA:

And lastly, this, from the current head of the very graduate program from which the world famous Arabist got his Ph.D.:

I'm not aware of any scholarly work of his in the fields of biblical studies or Semitic languages. I'll take your word for it that he graduated from UCLA at some point in the past...Mormons generally think their beliefs are credible. I'm not aware of non-Mormon scholars who find their beliefs credible, but that's hardly surprising".

I would be delighted to see a rebuttal from the Good Professor on this, but I won't hold my breath. What it ultimately demonstrates is that His Highness is a very small fry---no one knows who he is. And though I'm not totally sure about this, I have a feeling that Arab Studies is a relatively small field, and so Peterson's lack of noteworthiness is even more dismaying. Very, very sad, in my opinion.

There is speculation on RfM that Prof. P.'s lack of notoriety is due to his participation on the ironically named FAIRboard, and a result of his relationship with FAIR/FARMS. If this is indeed true, then it ought to put the final nail in the coffin on the debate over whether DCP is or is not primarily an apologist. At the very least, I think we can safely say that his role as apologist is equal to, if not greater, than his role as an Arabist.

Edited to add: for what it's worth, Prof. Peterson, apparently in response to Tal Bachman's post, has altered his signature line to read:

“What is needed for Islamic philosophy is something like the Loeb Library for Greek and Latin texts where the text in the original appears on one side of the page and the English translation on the opposite page. Fortunately during the last few years Brigham Young University has embarked upon such a series in which already a few important titles have appeared.”

Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Islamic Philosophy from Its Origin to the Present: Philosophy in the Land of Prophecy (Albany: State University of New York Press, 2006), 24.

It is a pity that the Good Professor isn't mentioned by name! A bummer that he's not being recognized by his peers! But then again, editorial work, which is DCP's bread and butter, tends not to be viewed in the same light as research.

[_Polygamy Porter]

As much as Danny downplays anything and everything on RfM he sure is afraid of it and probably spends more hours lurking than working.

Truth is, RfM has Denial C. Peterson scared shittless.

What a waste his life has been, at least in terms of helping the cult. I for one was help out of the cult by Danny himself posting his pompus pious pontificating pokes at me on the Fboards.

Keep it up Danny you fool!

LOL he thinks he a puppet on the finger of God... LOL!!

[_Pokatator]

“What is needed for Islamic philosophy is something like the Loeb Library for Greek and Latin texts where the text in the original appears on one side of the page and the English translation on the opposite page. Fortunately during the last few years Brigham Young University has embarked upon such a series in which already a few important titles have appeared.”

What I would like to do is study a Book of Mormon with the original Reformed Egyptian on one side of the page and the English translation on the opposite page.

[_Polygamy Porter]

“What is needed for Islamic philosophy is something like the Loeb Library for Greek and Latin texts where the text in the original appears on one side of the page and the English translation on the opposite page. Fortunately during the last few years Brigham Young University has embarked upon such a series in which already a few important titles have appeared.”

What I would like to do is study a Book of Mormon with the original Reformed Egyptian on one side of the page and the English translation on the opposite page.

LOL!!!

Innnntroooduche'ing.....

Dr. Daniel C. Peterson
Professor of Reformed Egyptian Studies

[_Brackite]

But Daniel C. Peterson is really a good and well-respected scholar. Please Check out this “FAIR” Discussion Thread that Daniel C. Peterson started about two weeks ago there, where he demonstrates that he has a lot of scholarly knowledge, and that he has focused a lot on scholarly research.

[MODERATOR NOTE: FAIR has ensured that links from here to their site don't work, so clicking on the above link won't get you anywhere. Instead, copy and paste the following text into your browser's address bar:]

http://www.fairboards.org/index.php?showtopic=18889

[_Dr. Shades]

Let me add my perhaps contrary opinion to this:

While I think it's admirable for Tal to actually "get his hands dirty" by doing his own research, I think it's only FAIR to ask ourselves this question: Does DCP ever go around claiming to be a world-class authority on the Near East? Has he ever put himself forward as the first and last word on the Middle East?

Now, I know he has been quite dismissive of Kevin Graham's research into Islam. But I think that's a slightly different issue (although I could be wrong). For purposes of this discussion, it almost seems like the folks at RFM are claiming more about DCPs renown than is DCP himself.

Plus, as Tal has shown, perhaps DCP isn't as widely-published in his field as other scholars are in theirs. But let's face it: How many of DCP's critics are as widely-published as they deride him for not being? Having earned merely a humble Bachelor's Degree, I think I have a good appreciation of the rigor which must be involved in earning a Ph.D. in anything. Even if one never publishes in his/her field ever again, a Ph.D. is quite an accomplishment for anyone. Let's face it: How many of us have Ph.D.s? I'll admit it: I don't. Even if I did, I probably wouldn't have any interest in publishing in my field; teaching is much more my forté.

Perhaps some of the good people at RFM occasionally lose their focus on the prime issue: DCP's actual writings, opinions, and postings, not his personal or professional life. There's plenty of the former to examine without having to resort to the latter.

[_Mister Scratch]

Then again, Prof. Peterson has been pretty forthright in his ridiculing of Bachman's musical career. My take on everything is that Prof. P. sees some of his own failings in Bachman. After all, Tal had been posting on FAIR using nom de guerre "TruthSeeker," and when he was "unmasked," so to speak, as being Tal, DCP made a concerted effort to bring him back into the fold. Thus, my impression is that DCP sees Tal as "the one that got away."

[_harmony]

Then again, Prof. Peterson has been pretty forthright in his ridiculing of Bachman's musical career. My take on everything is that Prof. P. sees some of his own failings in Bachman. After all, Tal had been posting on FAIR using nom de guerre "TruthSeeker," and when he was "unmasked," so to speak, as being Tal, DCP made a concerted effort to bring him back into the fold. Thus, my impression is that DCP sees Tal as "the one that got away."

I swear, Scratch... you should work for the CIA... or the SCMC.

[_Dr. Shades]

Then again, Prof. Peterson has been pretty forthright in his ridiculing of Bachman's musical career.

Mea culpa. You're absolutely right--perhaps turnabout is FAIR play in this case.