David Goodman wrote:
The traditional academic system is based upon status
differences
between pupils and teachers. One of the problems is the reception they
get--a great many experts do not take it kindly when they are
challenged by the ignorant, and get no respect for their
qualifications, or even negative comments about them. But there is no
way of keeping WP open and preventing them from being subjected to
this. It affects not just academic experts, but experts in all sorts
of fields and knowledgeable amateurs also.
You describe an attitude that has taken centuries to build up. Those
who learned through deference teach deference. At best it will take
several generations to overcome.
Some experts can deal with it well, and a few have
been known to go
for years on WP without mentioning their academic status. Some have
the art of explaining things to make them clear to anyone who is not
willfully misunderstanding, and the patience to do it. These are the
kind of people we need. Alas, the one's who cannot tolerate the fools
are probably never going to be able to work effectively in a WP
environment.
The intolerant ones can easily be there because of their own inability
to communicate their ideas. They may be brilliant researchers, but
hopeless at explaining their results.
Ec