From: Brett Paatsch (paatschb@optusnet.com.au)
Date: Tue May 27 2003 - 18:32:46 MDT
Harvey writes:
> Lee Daniel Crocker wrote,
> > Since when does it take an "expert" to accomplish anything?
> > History is full of discoveries and advances made by dilletantes
> > and "fans". Indeed, "experts" in a field tend to have blinders that
> > prevent them from seeing solutions that are outside of their training
> > and experience.
>
> Agreed, definitely!
>
> However you define an "expert", my question still stands: When it
> comes to future technologies, how many of us are actually involved in
> these fields such that our unique viewpoint really could influence a
> design decision, trigger a new avenue of research, or invent/discover
> some new solution? And how many of us work "regular" non-futuristic
> jobs and just talk about this stuff over beers in our spare time?
I know from personal experience its possible for non-experts to
influence political policy at the national level (at least here in
Australia) I
don't see why it would be different in similar democratic countries.
When it comes to legislating around areas that have a high technological
and ethical component politicians are not experts either but they do
nonetheless cast the votes that make the laws. Of necessity they get their
"information" and "expert advice" from somewhere.
Not being experts in technology like stem cells, and gene therapy, for
instance it is hard for politicians to "lead" public opinion. Few pollies
have
the scientific or subject matter savvy. Therefore they, for the most part
tend to "follow" public opinion, as it appears to them.
There are plenty of ways for individuals of the type that frequent lists
like this to influence public policy in directions that most extropians and
transhumanists would prefer public policy to go. But it seems one has to
recognize that before one is willing to try it. And there are of course
smarter and more effective ways of lobbying than others but so far as
I can see there is absolutely no magic in it.
Brett Paatsch
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