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Experience vs Expertise [message #33790]

Wed, 19 July 2006 22:40

timmy

Has no life at all

Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13818

Many years ago we bred and showed English Setters. We sometimes went to English Setter teaching events to learn more about our chosen breed. At these people often fell foul of the wonderful latin tag "Si tacuisses philosophus mansisses"

An example was one well know breeder who asked "but how the the gallstones get into the dog in the first place?" and really meant it. Perhaps it was right that she asked, but, and this is part of the point, she was also a teacher for part of that day on healthcare for the animals.

She'd been a dog breeder for a long time. She had loads of experience. But had she expertise?

How do we each avoid confusing our experience with expertise? And how do we recognise where we have no expertise at all?

Age used to be revered precisley because the old person was old. As Elizabeth Windsor said recently "All you have to do is to live long enough" (I paraphrased)

But, if an old perosn is rude, should they be revered? If an old perosn is wrong, should they be revered?

My point is, I think, that we guide the young and we guide those in a vulnerable state. As I have said so often these are often those who read but do not yet contribute. I'm nervous of lacks of either experience (time served doing something, not necessarily with any competence) and of expertise.

Do I mean we should stay silent when we are inexpert? No I do not. Yet I think we need to remember our own frailties.

An example: I neither have the experience nor the expertise to advise anyone in a gay sexual encounter without having had my advice checked by an expert gay lover. The parts of the site that deal with that were so checked. I was able to speak about the topic and can advise on it because I have checked my sources. Without that check I would have guided by guesswork.

Wherever we guide we need to give facts or ask questions that help others to guide or be guided.

I have pontificated enough. What do you think about expertise and experience?

[Updated on: Wed, 19 July 2006 22:42]

Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School

		Experience vs Expertise By: timmy on Wed, 19 July 2006 22:40
		Wisdom was not omitted By: timmy on Wed, 19 July 2006 22:47
		Re: Wisdom was not omitted By: Brian1407a on Wed, 19 July 2006 23:18
		Re: Wisdom was not omitted By: Handyman on Thu, 20 July 2006 02:10
		Neither Experience nor Expertise is much good in isolation. By: cossie on Thu, 20 July 2006 00:01
		Re: Neither Experience nor Expertise is much good in isolati By: kupuna on Thu, 20 July 2006 09:28
		sdfsdfsdfsdf By: Deeej on Thu, 20 July 2006 13:19
		A formula By: Deeej on Thu, 20 July 2006 12:55
		I'm not sure the question can be reduced to a formula ... By: cossie on Fri, 21 July 2006 04:33
		Doctors By: Deeej on Fri, 21 July 2006 10:14
		And expertise By: Deeej on Fri, 21 July 2006 15:43

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