Maybe my use of the word is too constrained. I tend to use it as I think Sabine (and Eric 
Weinstein and maybe Stephan Wolfram) use it. I.e. they claim they're not part of it. So 
why shouldn't I believe them? As in the people within the academy, *some* type of 
institution that combines teaching with research. That would include pretty much anything 
with the *.edu on the end. SFI is on the outer edge. Heterodox Academy is even closer to 
the edge ... or perhaps just barely outside of it. Something like Prager University is 
definitely outside of it. The *primary* aspect of my conception is grantsmanship, which 
is a hallmark of non-profit activities. If it's a for profit enterprise, it's difficult 
for me to consider it "the academy".

But I suppose I could loosen my definition and consider relatively independent 
science communicators like Sabine or Neil deGrasse Tyson as peri-academics (or 
maybe even para-academics). Then it would be a short hop to, say, fossil fuel 
lobbyists. There's some kind of slippery slope, here. And that's why I like to 
stick to grantsmanship for academicy stuff. (It also applies to other 
non-profits ... or the hunt for a sugar momma, even ... patronage. But 
academics, because they're also scholars, have a more sedate and systematic 
matrix to navigate.)

The other element that separates people like Neil deGrasse Tyson or Professor Dave or 
Angela Collier from people like Sabine is that they engage in less hyperbole. My 
experience with serious academics is they don't run around yelling things like 
"Science is Dying". Academics tend to be more measured, restrained, particular, 
and a bit boring. Of course, as they age out, they go a bit batsh¡t. It seems to me 
emeriti engage in more hyperbole than working academics.

So long story short: Sabine's not an academic because she doesn't spend her 
time writing grants. And she's not an academic because too much of her work 
product is hyperbolic.

On 11/8/24 22:33, Marcus Daniels wrote:
I'm still confused why you say Hossenfelder isn't an academic.  
Scholar.google.com doesn't see it that way:  Cited by 5,426.   She has recent 
publications.

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