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NDT's political views could be informed by science though. One party clearly does deny science and from purely that perspective one could make an informed decis

NDT's political views could be informed by science though. One party clearly does deny science and from purely that perspective one could make an informed decision. Furthermore, knowing that someone is intelligent likely to reason about politics does influence me to put more weight in what they say than otherwise. Of course one should also examine the arguments themselves but one can be a little more certain they are well thought out and worth examining if they come from certain sources.

ceejayoz 10y ago
> NDT's political views could be informed by science though. Sure, but those political views probably shouldn't be given extra weight just because he's a scientist unless they're directly related to his field. As an example, he's had some misfires on biology: https://twitter.com/neiltyson/status/708427052433678336 https://twitter.com/neiltyson/status/708427052433678336
- peteretep 10y ago
  > shouldn't be given extra > weight just because he's > a scientist Don't they get him over the (admittedly fairly low) bar of "able to think rationaly"?
  - buzzybee 10y ago
    Only within topics where he has developed a sense of self-critique. It's commonplace for people to have a strong ability to be able to work through a situation rationally when it's not also tied to something in their emotions. And when someone has developed expertise they also have a common understanding with other experts. So NDT can speak with some authority on some science topics that he has directly studied. That does not make him a political scientist or philosopher, though, or even a competent student outside of his field.
  - ceejayoz 10y ago
    > Don't they get him over the (admittedly fairly low) bar of "able to think rationaly" Not necessarily. http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Nobel_disease http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Nobel_disease

ceejayoz 10y ago

> NDT's political views could be informed by science though. Sure, but those political views probably shouldn't be given extra weight just because he's a scientist unless they're directly related to his field. As an example, he's had some misfires on biology: https://twitter.com/neiltyson/status/708427052433678336 https://twitter.com/neiltyson/status/708427052433678336

peteretep 10y ago
> shouldn't be given extra > weight just because he's > a scientist Don't they get him over the (admittedly fairly low) bar of "able to think rationaly"?
- buzzybee 10y ago
  Only within topics where he has developed a sense of self-critique. It's commonplace for people to have a strong ability to be able to work through a situation rationally when it's not also tied to something in their emotions. And when someone has developed expertise they also have a common understanding with other experts. So NDT can speak with some authority on some science topics that he has directly studied. That does not make him a political scientist or philosopher, though, or even a competent student outside of his field.
- ceejayoz 10y ago
  > Don't they get him over the (admittedly fairly low) bar of "able to think rationaly" Not necessarily. http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Nobel_disease http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Nobel_disease