4 ms·
Often the best questions come from someone outside the field. Just because someone has a degree in a certain subject does not make them the only one that can a
by airbreather 7y ago
Often the best questions come from someone outside the field.
Just because someone has a degree in a certain subject does not make them the only one that can ask questions about that subject.
This is called "White coat syndrome".
- Beltiras 7y agoThey are however most often answered by someone within the field. These folks are saying they have an answer, not a question.
- colinb 7y ago"often" is a weasel word here. How about "sometimes"? Sometimes good questions come from outside a field. Nevertheless, when I'm suffering from a serious medical condition, I prefer to see a medical doctor. When my central heating packs up, I call a licensed gas-fitter. Argument from authority seems like a bad plan. But arguing against someone _because_ they have authority seems worse.
- airbreather 7y agoHowever, we are not talking about treatment or repairs, so poor if not irrelevant comparisons. It is recognised that the most valuable person/s in review panels are the rank outsiders that ask the questions that are considered already answered or too outlandish to consider. There are a number of studies I can't be arsed to dig up, however Feynman and the challenger investigation is one slightly oblique example. Outsiders do not have the fear of pointing at the elephant in the room.
- Oletros 7y agoThey are not asking questions, they are saying that all the other scientists are wrong