Re: I need help explaining basic linguistic concepts to a lay person


>"Jayne Kulikauskas" <jayne.kulikauskas@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>news:1138029695.891988.243370@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
(snip)

>Jayne wrote:
> I'm pretty sure she isn't stupid. I've seen her converse intelligently
> on many subjects. I see the problem as Heidi having no understanding
> of the value (or limitations) of expertise. She appears to believe
> that all opinions are equally valid. I think it's a post-modernism
> thing.

Jayne, it's not so much that I believe all opinions are valid, but rather
just as you say I'm considering "the value (or limitations) of expertise."
Quite often we do see professionals disagree with one another. I'm also
keenly aware that experts don't know everything even if it involves their
own specialized field of interest. And when I see that happening, I tend to
remain "non-commital" until such a time as one of those professionals comes
up with something that just makes an enormous amount of sense to me.

There have been occasions when I've sided with someone, only to switch my
opinion once additional or new information came to light. As for
limitations of expertise, we see that over and over again. One thing I try
not to do is to allow someone's initials behind their names to colour my
perception. Just because someone may have that PhD doesn't mean they are an
authority on anything at all. I look at what they are writing. What is it
they are trying to say? If what they write makes sense, fine. If not, I
dismiss it.

Sometimes I take the time to read assorted philosophical works.
Well...LOL...now there's a field that greatly amuses me. Some of the
nuttiest ideas are celebrated as enlightened and intelligent thinking. When
I come across things like that, I just have to laugh and think to myself,
"Just how much more retarded can such a philosopher be?" If one has the
wealth and the connections, one can have the most dumbest things promoted as
intelligent. Oh well...sometimes I can't help but think we're all
passengers on that Narrenschiff. ;-)

Heidi




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