A LAYMAN’S GUIDE TO EXPERT OPINION
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Abstract
In this paper I will contrast two views of expert testimony,
an authoritarian view and a libertarian view. I will show
that the authoritarian view has some problems that the
libertarian view can solve. An authoritarian view leads
to skepticism about expert testimony, as, on this view,
acceptance of expert testimony is blind. It also seems
to make scientific revolution inherently unreasonable.
Having shown that libertarianism can easily address these
problems, I conclude by outlining a way of integrating this
view with a broader theory of testimony.
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