@johnrobb We have abandoned competence,
in the futile search for universal expertise.
"What?" I hear you say.
Clearly definitions and explanations are in order.
1/
in the futile search for universal expertise.
"What?" I hear you say.
Clearly definitions and explanations are in order.
1/
@johnrobb Expertise, certainly as regards this discussion,
but perhaps also universally, should be regarded
as the knowledge of a very great deal - about very
very little.
2/
but perhaps also universally, should be regarded
as the knowledge of a very great deal - about very
very little.
2/
@johnrobb To become an expert in a field requires
years - nay, decades - of diligent study of that
solitary field. In diving deeper, the pool in turn
becomes ever smaller: a diving pool rather than a
swimming pool. Nothing is free.
3/
years - nay, decades - of diligent study of that
solitary field. In diving deeper, the pool in turn
becomes ever smaller: a diving pool rather than a
swimming pool. Nothing is free.
3/
@johnrobb The effort expended
in learning one discipline, ever better, is time spent
NOT learning about the World in general.
But expertise - knowledge for its own sake - is rarely
the answer to any problem; and certainly not in Real
Life.
4/
in learning one discipline, ever better, is time spent
NOT learning about the World in general.
But expertise - knowledge for its own sake - is rarely
the answer to any problem; and certainly not in Real
Life.
4/
@johnrobb All decisions are inevitably trade-offs. Losses
here must be weighed, as honestly and openly as possible,
against gains in the other. Hard choices must be made.
The making of such choices requires judgement; and the
possession of judgment is competence; not expertise.
5/
here must be weighed, as honestly and openly as possible,
against gains in the other. Hard choices must be made.
The making of such choices requires judgement; and the
possession of judgment is competence; not expertise.
5/
@johnrobb To be competent is to comprehend the arguments of
competing experts, in varied fields; to assess and
weight the testimony of those experts; to place those
arguments on the balance of public good;
6/
competing experts, in varied fields; to assess and
weight the testimony of those experts; to place those
arguments on the balance of public good;
6/
@johnrobb and finally,
to make a decision as well informed and argued as
possible with never enough data.
and finally,
to make a decision as well informed and argued as
possible with never enough data.
7/
to make a decision as well informed and argued as
possible with never enough data.
and finally,
to make a decision as well informed and argued as
possible with never enough data.
7/
@johnrobb Competent individuals are 1 above. More than
that, they accept responsibility for their decisions.
They don't hide behind the blinkered recommendations
of experts in any one field - the balancing, and the
decision, was made by them and they accept the
accompanying responsibility.
that, they accept responsibility for their decisions.
They don't hide behind the blinkered recommendations
of experts in any one field - the balancing, and the
decision, was made by them and they accept the
accompanying responsibility.
@johnrobb So the next time a politician, or manager, proudly
exclaims:
"The experts said such-and-such." - know
this:
that claim is no more than an idler's boast of incompetence;
and of possessing the power to make YOU pay for it.
end/
exclaims:
"The experts said such-and-such." - know
this:
that claim is no more than an idler's boast of incompetence;
and of possessing the power to make YOU pay for it.
end/
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