{"id":44126,"date":"2018-07-27T05:34:07","date_gmt":"2018-07-27T11:34:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/?p=44126"},"modified":"2018-07-27T05:34:07","modified_gmt":"2018-07-27T11:34:07","slug":"off-the-pulpit-do-we-need-experts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/off-the-pulpit-do-we-need-experts\/","title":{"rendered":"Off the Pulpit: Do we need experts?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By RABBI DAVID WOLPE<\/p>\n

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In modern society we are often called upon to make judgments about things in science, technology, politics, economics — for which we have little training and less knowledge. Yet it does not seem to diminish, for many, the confidence with which they pronounce.<\/p>\n

Judaism is a tradition that inculcates great respect for knowledge. Legitimacy of opinion is tied to familiarity with sources and ideas; depth of feeling is no assurance of correctness. As the Rabbis counsel us, “Teach your tongue to say, ‘I don’t know.'”<\/p>\n

Experts are not always right of course, and on rare occasions an untutored guess will prove more accurate than a learned surmise. But knowledge is almost always an aid to judgment; you don’t want your surgeon, pilot or automaker to be ignorant. Confidence that outstrips understanding is empty. As Hillel said — zil g’mor<\/i> — go and learn.<\/p>\n

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