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The Gell-Mann effect overrates having an academic degree and doesn't count the fact that people might become experts in something they haven't done formal studi
by sph 3y ago
The Gell-Mann effect overrates having an academic degree and doesn't count the fact that people might become experts in something they haven't done formal studies for.
How can you tell whether I am as trustworthy as a guy on the bus on matters of software engineering? I am a high school dropout. Likewise, I'm no medical doctor, but knowledge is a spectrum, and I believe I know more than the average Joe on matters of nutrition because it is something that fascinates me and I've read and researched a lot about.
Given that I've read and heard about Taubes for 15 years, it is simplistic to say the least that he doesn't know anything because he's got a physics background.
tl;dr: the Gell-Mann effect only makes sense in a vacuum and if you really want to believe that having a degree automatically makes you an expert with worthwhile ideas.
- shermantanktop 3y agoThe effect here is more about people claiming lateral authority, rather than the base claim of authority in the first point. But I take your point. I’m also underqualified for my position and am wary of credentialism. But if I’m looking at a topic I don’t know well — e.g. seismic building codes- I have to start somewhere. Software engineering is thankfully a field that is particularly accessible to people without formal training. Demand is high, functional skills can be proven on the spot, and employers are (usually) not in a position where their hiring decisions have potential legal consequences.