I read about "Monty Hall's Door Puzzle" recently and Marilyn vos
Savant's solution to it ("always switch"). It seems she was violently
critized before her answer was proven correct.
Among the critics were the following professors:
Mary Jane Still, Palm Beach Junior College
Robert Sachs, George Mason University
E. Ray Bobo, Georgetown University

Did any of those ever apologize for being rather rude in their wording
and most of all, being wrong?
Thank you!

Hi LiJin,

Thank you for accepting my findings as an answer to your question. I
am reposting it here for your convenience.

After researching your question, I was only able to locate one
confirmation of an apology by Robert Sachs,Ph.D., George Mason
University, after saying, "I'm very concerned with the general
public's lack of mathematical skills. Please help by confessing your
error...."


""So her answer's right: you should switch," Mr. Hall said, reaching
the same conclusion as the tens of thousands of students who conducted
similar experiments at Ms. vos Savant's suggestion. That conclusion
was also reached eventually by many of her critics in academia,
although most did not bother to write letters of retraction. Dr.
Sachs, whose letter was published in her column, was one of the few
with the grace to concede his mistake.
 
"I wrote her another letter," Dr. Sachs said last week, "telling her
that after removing my foot from my mouth I'm now eating humble pie. I
vowed as penance to answer all the people who wrote to castigate me.
It's been an intense professional embarrassment.""

Parent-Directed Education
http://www.parentdirectededucation.org/Thinking%20Parent/thinking%20parent/Vos%20Savant.htm


These sites may interest you:

http://www15.brinkster.com/manowar/curious.htm

http://isaac.blogs.com/isaac_laquedem/2005/02/lawrence_summer.html

http://members.aol.com/garypos/vos_Savant.html


Search criteria:
"Marilyn vos Savant" apology
"Marilyn vos Savant" "Mary Jane Still"
"Marilyn vos Savant" "E. Ray Bobo"
"Marilyn vos Savant" Sachs

I hope this is helpful.

Best wishes,
Rainbow

Thank you! :)

Hi lijin,

After researching your question, I was only able to locate one
confirmation of an apology by Robert Sachs,Ph.D., George Mason
University, after saying, "I'm very concerned with the general
public's lack of mathematical skills. Please help by confessing your
error...."


""So her answer's right: you should switch," Mr. Hall said, reaching
the same conclusion as the tens of thousands of students who conducted
similar experiments at Ms. vos Savant's suggestion. That conclusion
was also reached eventually by many of her critics in academia,
although most did not bother to write letters of retraction. Dr.
Sachs, whose letter was published in her column, was one of the few
with the grace to concede his mistake.
 
"I wrote her another letter," Dr. Sachs said last week, "telling her
that after removing my foot from my mouth I'm now eating humble pie. I
vowed as penance to answer all the people who wrote to castigate me.
It's been an intense professional embarrassment.""

Parent-Directed Education
http://www.parentdirectededucation.org/Thinking%20Parent/thinking%20parent/Vos%20Savant.htm


I hope this helps.

Best regards,
Rainbow

Hi Rainbow,

Thank you for researching the matter! It seems decency wasn't
widespread in the mathematical community at that time. ;)


Best Regards,

LiJin

Hi LiJin,

Would you like me to post the above information as an answer to your question?

Best wishes,
Rainbow

Hi Rainbow,

As I consider it unlikely that somone else will find what isn't there,
I might as well resign and accept the truth. Post your answer. :)

BTW: Any related trivia, not mentioned in that article, that you run
across during your research is welcome.

Thank you!

Best Regards,

LiJin

There is a fun simulator at
http://www.grand-illusions.com/simulator/montysim.htm that permits you
to replicate the problem.