[ExI] rational hypocrites

[William Flynn Wallace]

Is believing in an authority rationalism?  Depends on the authority and
where he got his information?

Point is, millions of people have opinions on climate change, Russia and
the election, trade wars, and many more, without the basic ability to
evaluate the evidence.  Or even have the evidence to consider.

I am not talking about those people who watch TV news and believe whatever
is said.  Those are really the low end and I am talking more about the
upper end.  College degree people at least.

Have an opinion on climate change, do you?  Have your Ph.D. long in pocket
in geology, chemistry or what not?  No?  Believe your friend who does have
one of those?  Or some national academy statement?


Believing in an authority is what religious people do.  But what if it's
Feynmann, you say?  He did the research or at least evaluated it.  Can't we
believe him?  Did you see the word 'believe' there?  Feynmann never wrong,
eh?  That's just not science and not rationalism.

It is science to base research on Feynmann and pretend that he was right
and see how it goes.

Do you  believe that the trade wars were a mistake to begin with and we are
shooting ourselves in the foot?  Ph. D. in economics, eh?

I just want to know where the boundaries are.  Where does rationalism and
empiricism stop and unsupported and poorly supported beliefs start?

Well, you have to believe something.  Really?  Well, we do have to do
something to present alternatives to those who would act precipitously with
little or no good  data, don't we?  So we have to act like they do, you are
saying?

You see what this is and where it is going or could go.  Where is your
boundary?

bill w
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