Self-appointed experts

[Andy Hull <hull@mail.sep.bnl.gov>]

Eric Denison wrote:

"Hmm ... scientific information from a police UNION official.  What's next?
Instructions on open-heart surgery from the head of the German Bricklayers'
Union?  It's a shame that they can't get their people to keep their
comments within their area of expertise (or at least accurate knowledge).
Of course, we have the same problem with the media over here (e.g. Alec
Baldwin and Montel Williams discussing cancer on Long Island when it's
likely that neither of them went past first-year physics or biology).

Nothing like the blind leading the blind (to the detriment of all but the
fear-mongers)."

The phenomenon Eric decries is hardly a new one.  It reminded me of one of
the Socratic dialogs (I forget which one) that I read some years ago during
an introductory philosophy course.  During an interview with expert
shipbuilders, Socrates discovers that not only are they willing to give
advice as experts on shipbuilding, but also advice as experts on all sorts
of matters outside their field. He then interviews expert shoemakers,
making a similar discovery, and so on. Socrates, where are you when we need
you so badly in today's age of media amplification of this kind of nonsense??
Andy Hull
SEP-BNL
Upton,NY 11973-5000
Ph.  516-344-4210
Fax  516-344-3105
e-mail: hull@mail.sep.bnl.gov