Agreed. I find her experiences interesting, but there really isn't anything in her description that is novel when compared to a "lay" person's description. Me

Agreed. I find her experiences interesting, but there really isn't anything in her description that is novel when compared to a "lay" person's description. Metaphors are always a bit tricky, but you might say it's like someone asking a computer hardware engineer how to use software on their computer[1]. Perhaps this experience did give her some new insight, but if so it was more contextual and related specifically to her work, rather than a general insight into human nature. Of course, it is good for people to share these kinds of experiences, but we should ask ourselves why it matters to us that it was a scientist who experienced them. The special status of science comes directly from the fact that it relies on objective observation and experimentation rather than subjective experience, consensus, or authority. Emphasizing any of the latter three simply because they come from scientists, suggests that we are trying to treat science as a priesthood, rather than addressing it on its own terms. It also means we've given "science", as a social institution, more power than it merits. [1]http://xkcd.com/1588/ http://xkcd.com/1588/