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In The Public Intellectual , Frank Furedi argues that the public intellectual is an endangered species. Yet in his contributions to The Times Higher - for example, that on students being provided with lecture notes - he offers his thoughts and feelings.

Surely the central role of the public intellectual is bringing the findings and complexity of research into the public arena. So why does Furedi fail to bring us this research-based wisdom and instead offers us such dumbed-down opinions?

Alan Jenkins
Oxford Brookes University