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The subtext is often something like "I'm smart enough to leave the science to the professionals" — this is *not* pro-science, it's pro-institution. At the population level, I suspect it hinders progress as or more effectively than many flavors of religious fervor
In a pro-science society, we'd all be able to participate in the human project — a landscaper notes a yet-undescribed interaction between warring ant colonies, a housekeeper notices a new trend in urban mold. We'd not pride ourselves on accepting our own cognitive impoverishment.
Consider for a moment that a housekeeper may have 20+ years of experience, 40-80 hours/week, learning the regional ins-and-outs of locating mold, removing it via a variety of physical + chemical agents, anticipating regrowth, etc. How many mold researchers consult w housekeepers?
For your consideration: Lyme disease. Here's the Wikipedia-level explanation of the history of the discovery of Lyme in Old Lyme, CT: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_disease …pic.twitter.com/4nwCub1jJi
...and here's the beginning of the story, wiped entirely or reduced to a one-liner or footnote in most popular summaries: https://www.ozy.com/flashback/solving-the-mystery-of-lyme-disease/82008 …pic.twitter.com/6JEVs8m04d
yes! thinking now of the important role played by so-called _amateurs_ (in the original sense of that word, not the contemporary usage) in the development of science in the West in the 18th and 19th centuries.
100% agree with the sentiment, but I think the last part is a bit Panglossian. The fundamental problem is that knowledge is hard. Sometimes amateurs know better, but sometimes they don't. Do we improve our hit rates by giving higher status to amateurs?
I'm guessing that in your intellectual circle the answer is a resounding yes. But I'm not sure that's generally true. Nor do I think we know how to write a rule to distinguish amateurs we trust vs amateurs who are kooks
Division of labour? Specialisation? Doing science well requires certain non ubiquitous skill sets? Most of the low hanging fruits have been taken? In a more adequate civilisation re: science, I still expect the supermajority of the science would be done by select professionals.
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