blink comments on Mechanics without wrenches - Less Wrong

33 Post author: PhilGoetz 15 April 2009 08:09PM

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Comment author: RobinHanson 15 April 2009 11:42:02PM 12 points [-]

I doubt understanding differential equations would help Congressfolk make better decisions. It is the economic concepts that would be useful for them, not so much the math.

Also, our basic ideology of democracy says that ordinary people can make wise decisions about policy without expert knowledge. So it is hard for voters to say politicians are unqualified without such knowledge without admitting that voters are also unqualified.

Comment author: blink 16 April 2009 03:06:12AM 0 points [-]

[O]ur basic ideology of democracy says that ordinary people can make wise decisions about policy without expert knowledge.

Could this be an opportunity to "pull the rope sideways" (as you say)? Perhaps the assumption is too deeply ingrained, but it seems easier to convince someone to accept that experts might often know best than to challenge a specific policy preference.