Re: [tlug] What would happen to the Internet if the US fell off the map

[Dave M G <dave@example.com>]

Josh, Stephen,

Just wanted to add my 2 yen on a small side issue:

Josh wrote (liberally edited for brevity):

> if... have some
> kind of special insight, you really should say so. Otherwise, we have
> to treat your opinion as equivalent to anyone else's; just a
> semi-informed guess.
>
> I keep using Steve as an example, but when he posts on an economic
> topic, we all know that he is a Professor of Economics at Tsukuba-dai
> and that informs how we treat his opinion. If Steve was new to this
> list and posted about an economic topic, I would expect him to mention
> that he is an expert.
I actually strongly disagree with this approach to assessing the 
credibility of a statement made by anyone. I've seen it and experienced 
it on this list enough to feel compelled to make mention of it.

Steve is undoubtedly a person with great knowledge about economics. But 
I feel that his title as a professor is a short hand for giving him the 
benefit of the doubt, but shouldn't be a requirement in order to assess 
if what he says is true. And it definitely shouldn't be mistaken as 
proof positive that what he says is right.

Otherwise you create the potential for an "appeal to authority":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_authority

With all due respect to Steve and or all other experts of their fields 
who may read this, if a person truly is an expert and they have 
internalized their base of understanding in their field, then the 
validity of what they say should be manifest in the statements they make.

And on the flipside, if someone wants to question whether or not an 
expert is right or wrong about something, that's perfectly fair. Experts 
can be wrong. If they truly have expertise in the topic being discussed 
they should be able to easily express the logic that drives their views.

So I guess what I'm saying is that I don't believe anyone here should 
have to explain their credentials, nor should anyone question someone 
else's ability to speak on a matter based on their credentials of any kind.

If someone doesn't really make sense in what they say, it will become 
apparent soon enough by their statements alone.

--
Dave M G
http://www.tlug.jp/wiki/User:Dave_M_G