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Are you active in any of tho relevant fields? If not, then why do you think you are better qualified to judge the academic quality of his work than actual acade
by vanderZwan 3y ago
Are you active in any of tho relevant fields? If not, then why do you think you are better qualified to judge the academic quality of his work than actual academics with the proper background?
- AlbertCory 3y ago> better qualified to judge the academic quality of his work than actual academics with the proper background that argument only holds up if the group with the "proper background" is NOT a giant echo chamber where non-conformity is ruthlessly punished.
- vanderZwan 3y agoCan you specify which fields you have in mind and why you think so, or are you speaking in hypotheticals just for the sake of appearing to make a counterpoint?
- AlbertCory 3y agoI guess you think this is a witty thing to say. we're already talking about a specific field.
- vanderZwan 3y agoNo, I think you're trying to dismiss critics of Diamond without ever engaging with the actual criticism by blanket-accusing them of living in "an echo chamber" (and missing the irony of doing so on HN), without providing a shred of evidence. It's a wonderful mental trick to convince yourself you're right without fact-checking yourself, not to mention dismiss any field of expertise that you disagree with, but it doesn't actually prove anything.
- AlbertCory 3y agoWell, I think you're trying to dismiss defenders of Diamond by saying "those people aren't published 'experts' in the field." Which is, as you said, "a wonderful mental trick to convince yourself you're right without fact-checking yourself." They're not in our club, so they don't count.
- prepend 3y agoWhat’s the “proper background” to comment on a pop anthropology book?
- vanderZwan 3y agoAnthropologist, historian, geography. Take your pick. There's ton's of specialties involved and he has received criticism from all angles.