Robert Naiman wrote: > Well, my main point is that people who know more should have more > weight than people who know less; in particular, people who have > worked on an issue more should have more weight than people who have > worked on it less.
So the opinions of the person who has been managing the Union Carbide India Limited pesticide plant in Bhopal for years should have more weight than those who suddenly become interested in the issue because a bunch of methyl isocyanate gas came into their houses and kill their loved ones? But in the story of the emperor's new clothes, the statement of the kid who yells "the emperor has no clothes" deserves more attention than those of the faux-tailors who say that "only really smart and noble people can see these beautiful robes." In fact, it's wrong to put more weight on _anyone's_ opinion (except mine, natch). That's a recipe for group-think and/or leadership-worship. Someone's opinion deserves more weight depending on its amount of factual content and logical acumen, not to mention the completeness of their analysis (not leaving key questions out). And someone who presents facts, logic, and complete analysis in one context may not do so in another. -- Jim Devine / "Segui il tuo corso, e lascia dir le genti." (Go your own way and let people talk.) -- Karl, paraphrasing Dante. _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
