Experts can be knowledgeable and helpful in their area of expertise but ignorant and unhelpful in many others. Consider Jim Cramer of CNBC. I believe he is expert in understanding Wall Street. He is not expert in giving good financial advice. Similar with Paul Krugman. Expert in certain areas of Economics. Woefully incorrect in judging …
Experts can be knowledgeable and helpful in their area of expertise but ignorant and unhelpful in many others. Consider Jim Cramer of CNBC. I believe he is expert in understanding Wall Street. He is not expert in giving good financial advice. Similar with Paul Krugman. Expert in certain areas of Economics. Woefully incorrect in judging politics and policies.
I would argue society needs experts and also a system of weeding out non-experts. At the same time, for there to be freedom & liberty, people must be allowed to great latitude in choosing what expertise they follow. Society governed by "experts" has been tried and has created great misery.
Huemer's gun control example is illustrative. Here is an issue with many self proclaimed experts. And they disagree! But we also have data. In a better world, the data would inform society on the role and use of personal firearms. But most often we get rhetoric and emotional pleadings, and not facts, concerning gun control. In fact, I have no idea what is even meant by the label "gun control expert'. Someone using that label is someone I would dismiss as a hack.
Experts can be knowledgeable and helpful in their area of expertise but ignorant and unhelpful in many others. Consider Jim Cramer of CNBC. I believe he is expert in understanding Wall Street. He is not expert in giving good financial advice. Similar with Paul Krugman. Expert in certain areas of Economics. Woefully incorrect in judging politics and policies.
I would argue society needs experts and also a system of weeding out non-experts. At the same time, for there to be freedom & liberty, people must be allowed to great latitude in choosing what expertise they follow. Society governed by "experts" has been tried and has created great misery.
Huemer's gun control example is illustrative. Here is an issue with many self proclaimed experts. And they disagree! But we also have data. In a better world, the data would inform society on the role and use of personal firearms. But most often we get rhetoric and emotional pleadings, and not facts, concerning gun control. In fact, I have no idea what is even meant by the label "gun control expert'. Someone using that label is someone I would dismiss as a hack.