Latest Breaking News

hueymahl

(2,833 posts)

13. Trust is not a feature of science

Tue Aug 12, 2025, 08:20 AM

Aug 12

When someone says "Trust the experts" they are essentially anti-science. The scientific process is all about challenging, probing and testing conclusions for failures and reasoning, process, measurements. Plus, the experts NEVER 100% agree. Even on topics of broad consensus, there is a minority opinion that can be very well held and is often right. History is replete with expert consensus that is ultimately overturned by a minority opinion that gains evidence and acceptance.

So no, do not "trust" the experts. That is a way of shutting down dissent and stifling the path of scientific progress.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

10 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

txwhitedove biophile the nelm Luvcatz14 yardwork SCantiGOP Bayard Haggard Celine Dixc rictofen

85 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

RFK Jr. in interview with Scripps News: 'Trusting the experts is not science' [View all] BumRushDaShow Aug 12 OP

Oh? Tell me who is SUPERIOR to "experts" then . . . . . no_hypocrisy Aug 12 #1

R effin' K jr does his own research. . . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Aug 12 #4

... on RW internet. marble falls Aug 12 #10

Trust is not a feature of science hueymahl Aug 12 #13

Really? Who exactly do you trust for information?nt Phoenix61 Aug 12 #17

That poster is correct. yardwork Aug 12 #39

Excellent point! biophile Aug 12 #31

"Many of the experts?" vanlassie Aug 12 #37

Former NEJM editor, others feel the same biophile Aug 12 #50

You have not substantiated your statement. vanlassie Aug 12 #56

My opinion/belief has nothing to do with science dpibel Aug 12 #35

I think you're both right but saying things differently. yardwork Aug 12 #40

That is not what it is about Nasruddin Aug 12 #64

De worm. IrishAfricanAmerican Aug 12 #20

We need to define "expert." sop Aug 12 #36

also need to account for "experts" that go off the deep end cadoman Aug 12 #41

Peer review is necessary, in all fields, particularly journalism. "Expertise" should stand up to scrutiny. sop Aug 12 #53

Agreed jfz9580m Aug 26 #72

But ignoring the experts *is* a feature of authoritarianism.... unblock Aug 12 #2

Why yes it is. mgardener Aug 12 #6

I think you have it backwards pcdb Aug 12 #61

Yes, but authoritarians are even more blatantly, and literally, all about the appeal to authority fallacy unblock Aug 12 #62

It's complex. Often in court cases both sides have experts. womanofthehills Aug 26 #73

In ordinary times, and in ordinary disputes, there are indeed experts on opposite sides unblock Aug 26 #75

Trusting only the "experts" who agree with your crackpot beliefs is not science. tanyev Aug 12 #3

Very true Rebl2 Aug 12 #42

This guy is a fuck9ng disaster. johnnyfins Aug 12 #5

Think about all the charitable entities Mr. Evil Aug 12 #29

This man is a gd dangerous idiot. Experts are science based. Irish_Dem Aug 12 #7

Well... OldBaldy1701E Aug 12 #15

I am assuming we are talking about real experts not frauds. Irish_Dem Aug 12 #66

Exactly. OldBaldy1701E Aug 12 #67

If you research studies online - experts have very differing opinions & studies womanofthehills Aug 26 #74

How much of his brain did that worm eat? oasis Aug 12 #8

Or it's all worm shit...n/t the nelm Aug 12 #34

Part of it Rebl2 Aug 12 #43

The only thing in there to being with WAS the worm. (n/t) OldBaldy1701E Aug 12 #60

But pulling it from his butt and reading woooo on the internet is science. He had to have been switched at birth ... marble falls Aug 12 #9

Bobby Jr: "You can't control the amount of energy that everybody is getting." area51 Aug 12 #11

I saw that too... Moostache Aug 12 #45

I read that and nearly did a spit take. maxsolomon Aug 12 #59

What is this sick, deranged fuck doing, in charge of the nation's health? Paladin Aug 12 #12

Trump knew he was an idiot. Birds of a feather..... twodogsbarking Aug 12 #14

Kennedy appears to be very "new agey" in his thinking.. LiberalArkie Aug 12 #16

I don't Rebl2 Aug 12 #44

This guy's better than Buckaroo Bonzai. nt BootinUp Aug 12 #18

HEY! Don't insult Buckaroo Banzai that way. HE was a real neurosurgeon, physicist ms liberty Aug 12 #25

No matter where you go, there you are..... Bayard Aug 12 #46

"Trusting the experts is not a feature of either a science or democracy," Kennedy said." MLWR Aug 12 #19

Unfuckingbelievable. NNadir Aug 12 #21

"control the amount of energy"??? WTAF??? LymphocyteLover Aug 12 #22

Right?!?! NickB79 Aug 26 #82

'Murica truly is the land of opportunity, even an anti-vax conspiracy theorist long term heroin user ..... groundloop Aug 12 #23

You need to put that on a T-shirt and sell it. Dem2theMax Aug 12 #58

Yet he expects us to trust the expert heroin junky. truthisfreedom Aug 12 #24

Don't trust science, but trust an idiot. Nothing new here. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Firestorm49 Aug 12 #26

Trusting a brain damaged ex junkie isn't either Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Aug 12 #27

And listening to you, Boobie, is far worse. Get a real job, like Chief Bottle Washer at an aluminum plant. Wonder Why Aug 12 #28

Fuck that freakshow fool Blue Owl Aug 12 #30

He's gonna kill so fucking many of us. Eliot Rosewater Aug 12 #32

But scrutinizing the evidence is C_U_L8R Aug 12 #33

But trusting an idiot who believes in quack medicine is? Dave Bowman Aug 12 #38

For anyone who missed it the first time around, Bayard Aug 12 #47

Trusting the experts is not a feature of either a science or democracy? patphil Aug 12 #48

I 100% agree. (nt) oasis Aug 12 #70

Trusting one who think he knows more than the experts is very foolish. republianmushroom Aug 12 #49

Trusting an idiot is not science. milestogo Aug 12 #51

Thinking like this could up-end many things bucolic_frolic Aug 12 #52

For some reason, magical thinking is Haggard Celine Aug 12 #57

"5,000 peer-reviewed studies" Who reviewed them? Just whoever? underpants Aug 12 #54

He's either lying or repeating numbers which somebody else lied about. Wiz Imp Aug 26 #81

Vax research gfarber Aug 12 #55

So instead of experts Nasruddin Aug 12 #63

Trusting Brain Worm Bobby BlueMTexpat Aug 12 #65

My high school biology asks: What the F--k is he talking about? How much energy is in a dead virus? What? rickyhall Aug 12 #68

... He said, in his capacity as a self-proclaimed EXPERT?????? BurnDoubt Aug 12 #69

Research funding wasn't canceled? Nt BadgerKid Aug 13 #71

When Congress returns snowybirdie Aug 26 #76

Yo! Worm brain! -misanthroptimist Aug 26 #77

Effin anti-vaxxers Torchlight Aug 26 #78

How could this happen in the United States of America? Mysterian Aug 26 #79

Put your money where your mouth is, RKF Jr: The experts say gravity is a thing. Aristus Aug 26 #80

Brain worms rotted his brain VGNonly Aug 27 #83

'Trusting the experts is not science' Conjuay Aug 27 #84

Yeah, look at all the experts in science we've trusted since the Dark Ages Oeditpus Rex Aug 27 #85