T P wrote:
I think assuming that Scout McCloud's POV outweighs mine is bad.
I am not claiming that the field is not important. I am claiming that we shouldn't take Scout McCloud's word for it that it is important.
This is what "a grain of salt" means, that you should not swallow someone's opinion whole. It doesn't mean that you should ignore their opinion entirely.
If all we are arguing about is whether the field is important,and whose word is strong enough to attest to that we might as well grow tails so that we can have something to chase. The subject is at least important enough for us to have a debate about it.
Since I have not studied the subject I have no basis for attributing weight to anybody's opinion within the field. but recognized "experts" would be a good starting place. If you dispute a specific opinion of his I would take that into consideration; eventually experience would let me know whose views to believe. I have always been cautious about expert opinion, but I am not inclined to prejudicially reject their views.
Ec