So I take it you'd never hire someone who is just graduated either, based on your argument? Of course there is a learning curve to anything, even brain surgery. If he has basic ability, why not hire him? It seems the company knows what it is getting itself into. As someone else pointed out, it's a junior position -- they're not looking him to be a project manager or anything.

Not to mention that the consequences of hiring a noob programmer vs. hiring a noob brain surgeon are on totally different levels ....