#108 — Defending the Experts
Making Sense with Sam Harris
Deep Dive
Why did Tom Nichols write 'The Death of Expertise'?
Nichols started writing the book three years before the Trump presidency, initially as a blog rant that evolved into an article. He included discussions on the election and Brexit, highlighting the growing distrust and repudiation of expertise in various fields.
What is the Dunning-Kruger effect?
The Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias where individuals with low competence in a particular area overestimate their competence. This effect is named after social psychologists Dunning and Kruger, who found that less competent individuals are less likely to recognize their incompetence.
How does the Dunning-Kruger effect relate to expertise?
The Dunning-Kruger effect illustrates how those who lack expertise in a field are often the least aware of their own incompetence, leading to overconfidence and a failure to recognize the value of true experts.
Why is skepticism important in the advancement of knowledge?
Skepticism is crucial for the advancement of knowledge because it challenges existing expert opinions and allows for the discovery of new truths. However, this skepticism should be informed and conducted by other experts within the same field.
How does specialization affect our reliance on authority?
Specialization means that there is too much knowledge for any one person to master all fields. Therefore, even highly educated individuals must rely on the authority of experts in areas outside their own expertise.
Why do people distrust experts in politics?
People distrust experts in politics because of a shift towards valuing authenticity and relatability over competence and expertise. This trend began with the 1992 election of Bill Clinton and has continued with figures like Sarah Palin and Donald Trump.
What role does resentment play in the current political climate?
Resentment plays a significant role in the current political climate as people who feel left behind by the rapid changes of the information age seek to undermine the perceived advantages of the 'elite' and 'experts' they believe are conspiring against them.
How does the internet contribute to the spread of conspiracy theories?
The internet provides a platform for conspiracy theories to spread rapidly, offering a comforting narrative to those who feel bewildered and angry about the complexities of the modern world, reinforcing their distrust of established knowledge and expertise.
- The Dunning-Kruger effect is the tendency for less competent individuals to overestimate their abilities.
- This effect is due to a lack of metacognition, the ability to evaluate one's own competence.
- The spread of the Dunning-Kruger effect as a meme has led to its misuse, often as a synonym for stupidity.
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