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PostPosted: Sun Dec 11, 2011 13:54 
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Which one of these two men would you be most likely to place your trust in, if they were offering advice?

Each was an "expert" in their field, but one of them gave advice that was incorrect, and cost large numbers of lives.
In fact the advice he gave was merely an opinion - and was questioned by the other man - who was eventually proved right.

It is important that we get this right - our lives are governed by expert advice as to what is best for us.
Should we have the MMR vaccine? Should we vaccinate against foot and mouth? How should we best adapt our diets?

One week a moderate amount of alcohol is good for us - then along comes advice that even small amounts of alcohol can be harmful!

So WHO decides who is an expert, and who is merely talking up his own agenda?
The climate change debate must surely be the most contentious area, where experts compete to give their view of what is the truth - but after reading so much, you quickly become disillusioned in ANY advice that does not meet your previously held conceptions!

I lean towards trusting those people with the most experience. I once advised that policemen with lower collar numbers were generally better than those whose digits stretched to four numbers!
Sorry any lurking BiB! :bluelight: :)
That of course is a sweeping generalisation - and thwarted by those with lower numbers retiring! :D

But you can see the point I am making, that experience - or the school of hard knocks - is a good breeding ground for expertise.
I am heartened to read that others are sharing my concerns, and questioning how we assess who we seek advice from.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16110088

So my advice to you? Check out both sides of the coin, and trust to your judgement - but be prepared to change your viewpoint when new evidence comes along.
Be aware of vested interest from those whose careers depend on the advice that they give, and who choose to ignore the obvious, in favour of continued employment - I of course offer this advice for free...!

Oh, and watch out for lawyers - they are the larval stage of politicians! :lol:

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PostPosted: Sun Dec 11, 2011 23:15 
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I could not agree more

If you have been in a trade or profession for a long time, 10's of years, and are still in that trade then it suggest you actually know what you are doing.

Whereas if your knowledge comes from what someone else has told, or "taught" you, especially if that person has a vested financial interest in what they are telling you, then your comments and knowledge may be worthless.

Too many "Experts" are employed and paid by the people who make a lot of money out of what the expert is preaching.

This become a major problem when the "Expert" gives evidence in a criminal trial and adjusts his/her evidence to fit the known facts.

I am not saying these "Experts" are lying but they sometime do not tell the whole truth.

What a lot of "Experts" do not seem to accept is that their duty is to the court and not the prosecution or the defence.

Dodgy experts, in criminal trial, do not happen very often but there are well documented cases where this has happened.

I also know of incidents where the prosecution did not used their "Expert" when it was proven, before the trial, that their "Expert" evidence was flawed.

One of these cases was a murder trial when the prosecution "Expert" was withdrawn as a direct result of the defence expert evidence and the CPS accepted a manslaughter plea, before the case came to court.

A comment made by the OIC that case was "We will never use them again"

The biggest problem when different expert evidence is given by the prosecution and the defence is that those people who have to make the decision as to guilty or not guilty are not versed in the subject of the expert evidence.

Opinions are one thing but technical facts are indisputable

How do I know this? well I have been an expert witness for 21years so far.


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PostPosted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 10:02 
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timtjf wrote:
If you have been in a trade or profession for a long time, 10's of years, and are still in that trade then it suggest you actually know what you are doing.


That, in fact, you are an "expert" in that trade or profession. And , by the tenets of this thread, not to be trusted. So if you want your roof repaired don't use a roofer of twenty years standing because he's an "expert" and therefore not trustworthy. But if you ever new central heating then the roofer is just the man, much more reliable than an "expert" gas fitter of thirty years standing.

Personally I would rather employ someone who is expert in his trade.

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When I see a youth in a motor car I do d.c.brown


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PostPosted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 20:45 
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Did you not seen the word "suggests" I did not state if was fact


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PostPosted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 20:51 
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dcbwhaley wrote:
timtjf wrote:
If you have been in a trade or profession for a long time, 10's of years, and are still in that trade then it suggest you actually know what you are doing.


That, in fact, you are an "expert" in that trade or profession. And , by the tenets of this thread, not to be trusted. So if you want your roof repaired don't use a roofer of twenty years standing because he's an "expert" and therefore not trustworthy. But if you ever new central heating then the roofer is just the man, much more reliable than an "expert" gas fitter of thirty years standing.

Personally I would rather employ someone who is expert in his trade.


Sorry previous post had a digital malfunction

I did say suggests one knows what you are talking about

Experience is worth a lot more than what one has learned from books no matter what trade it is in


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PostPosted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 22:33 
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Prize example - road safety .
For decades ,Britain led the worl , with a force of experienced ,professional traffic police - EXPERTS I'd think we'd call them in road safety matters .
Then came the new idea - Speed is the culprit - and enforcement makes money . So out goes most of the old tried and tested methods ,and in comes thew power of the magic buck to cure all road safety ills .Out goes the established traffic police heads in favour of unqualified persons in charge of "road safety " -imagine it where an ex submarine captain is preferred to a traffic cop with years of experience , and local councillors ( some of whom don't need a driving licence ,or any other qualification ) to decide on speed limits etc .
Then we get geriatrics standing on streets deciding on which cars are exceeding limits ( if those limits are justified without refremce to the hazard density).At times those limits migght be optimistic - as in my street - at times 20 is achievable( I'd say in the early hours .At all other times 10 -15 ,due to the parke traffic ,which COULD conceal a toddler ,allowed out by some modern parent),BUT missed by some modern driver ,not educated to look for legs under a parked car .
An this is the view of the EXPERTS .

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lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on


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