Friday, November 14, 2008

On experts and expertise

I think expertise is grossly overrated.

As Anush points out, its the Einstien phenomenon. If Einstien's intelligence doubled in a flash, no one will be able to tell except Einstien himself. So for that matter we will have to take his word for it...

I went into a meeting today where the guy, almost to intimidate asks me, "Are you a technical man?"

"No not really" I say. Though there is a nerd alive within me, I decide to keep it straight...

"Then you wont understand a thing" he smirked.

Over the hour though he went on to explain the most common scientific aspects of his work - very simple core fundamentals that just needed some curiousity, some patience to understand. It was not complicated at all - and all the while he kept saying 'its complicated, its complicated'

I think the problem with expertise is manifold. For one, if you don't know what you don't know, it becomes almost impossible to estimate the quantum of what you don't know. And in that case even marginally better knowledge can seem expertise...

Then again people who posess this expertise jelously guard it - as businesses it is their trade secret while as individuals its their point of differentiation - something that keeps them as experts and maintains status quo

But I strongly believe that the fundamentals of any field are simple and can be understood without too much effort - basics are after all what they're meant to be - basic.

Whenever I have tried to dig beneath the surface for understanding a certain field, the truly secure 'experts' have freely shared...while there have been others who sit and protect their domains very seriously

As a society as we grow, knowledge is increasingly becoming more complex...and hence the temptation to rely on experts in each field...but that doesnt mean common sense should go for a walk...it should be there, around....

And as you explore and learn about more different things, you'll not only release the innate curious child within you but also see the beautiful patterns that emerge across fields and the often unbelievable correlations of beauty and knowledge...

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2 Comments:

Blogger Poorva said...

"Basics are after all what they are meant to be - Basic."

I totally swear by it.. and it is more than reassuring to read it on your blog.
So true expertise is overtly over-rated and guarded? And if it really is all that complicated, why all the fear and hesitation to share it lest others figure it out i say!?

I love your post... and thoughts more importantly!

11:16 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Ayyo raama......'Anush' did not say it. Anush quoted Scott Adams. Too many anti-plagiarism activists on the prowl nowadays !

3:33 PM  

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