Sister blog of Physicists of the Caribbean in which I babble about non-astronomy stuff, because everyone needs a hobby

Monday 2 November 2015

The cult of ignorance

"English unfortunately doesn’t have a precise word for the German “Fachidiot,” a narrowly specialized person accomplished in his own field but a blithering idiot outside it. In any case, a surgeon is basically a skilled auto mechanic who is not bothered by the sight of blood and palpitating organs... We need the surgeon’s skills on pain of agonizing death, and reward him commensurately, but that does not make him a Voltaire."

http://billmoyers.com/2015/10/29/the-gop-and-the-rise-of-anti-knowledge/#at_pco=cfd-1.0

2 comments:

  1. Ultracrepidarian [uhl-truh-krep-i-DAIR-ee-uh n]

    - Noun:
    One who gives opinions on something beyond his or her knowledge.

    - Adj.:
    Noting or pertaining to a person who criticizes, judges, or gives advice outside the area of his or her expertise.


    Sciolism [sahy-uh-liz-uh m]

    - Noun: 
    The practice or an instance of showing opinions on something of which one is ignorant or has only superficial knowledge.

    ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. "Well, there ya go, usin them two-bit words agin..." (translated: "stupid is cool...")

    ReplyDelete

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