What is expertise?

Words Worth Thinking About

The quote in this week’s Words Worth Thinking About episode comes from Chris Bray in his substack “Tell Me How This Ends.”

“It has come to my attention that many Americans don’t understand the critical distinction between general expertise and specifically scientific expertise. I will now clarify this point.

Expertise can, in general, be found in the act of repeating government talking points.

Scientific expertise is very different, and we have to take great care to describe it precisely. Scientific expertise can be found in the act of repeating government talking points while wearing a white lab coat.”