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TEXTS_IN_DECLINE

                                              May  3, 2005

   Try this: note that                        Originally part of
   as a field matures,                        LAST_INTELLECTUALS
   the quality of
   introductory texts
   in the subject declines.

   The text book
   industry insists
   on cranking out
   new books, even
   in cases where
   the old are only        Why?
   in need of minor                 My best guess: first
   revison at most.                 editions sell better
                                    than seconds, because
   The new works are                a student can get by
   inevitably written               with a used copy of
   with less attention              the first, and snub
   and enthusiasm than              the latest.
   the originals.


           Possibly this applies
           to academic writing
           in general?  When
           a field has lost
           confidence in it's
           own future, when the
           widespread sentiment
           is that it's gotten
           as far as it can go--

           Then the only players
           left will tend to be
           people willing to
           accomodate themselves
           to an artificial novelty.


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