How important are the opinions of experts in the search for knowledge

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Experts have always been regarded as people who possess valuable insight in their domain, however, what is the difference between a person who is labelled as an expert by society, and a regular individual who possesses the same amount of knowledge and experience? Their perceived authority and validity sets them apart. People who have been labelled as experts by the society have already demonstrated that they possess the skill and knowledge required to be an expert, thus, their opinion is assumed to be extremely valuable. Individuals who have not been labelled as experts may also provide good insight, however, people will immediately assume that because they are not experts, their opinion is invalid. Our assumptions and perceptions sometimes act as blind folds when acquiring knowledge. The expert’s opinion is not always the best opinion but humans automatically assume that since they are experts, they have the right opinion. This is not always true. For example, I have been breeding and selling show quality guppies for 6 years, however pet stores immediately assume that I am an amateur breeder due to my social status. Teenagers are perceived and assumed to be reckless and untrustworthy therefore I sometimes have trouble selling my fish. On the other hand, an older man could easily sell his guppies due to the fact that he is perceived and assumed to be reliable, trustworthy and responsible. When searching for knowledge, the opinions of experts should not always be regarded as valuable insight. The fact that society has imposed certain social statuses in our heads differentiates the expert from the individual whom has the same level of experience and knowledge.
Socially labelled experts should not be disregarded in the search for k...

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... this means that experts cannot always be trusted. In order to move past the bias and dishonesty of some experts, as a knower, you must collect opinions from several experts. When in search for knowledge, you are in control. Experts are here to provide us with insight and perspective.
Experts can be valuable and worthless depending on the situation. As a knower you must be able to distinguish the difference. Experts are not totally worthless, however, they should not be relied on completely. It is good to keep an open mind and gather opinions from various experts. Opinions are important, however, human judgment should prevail when acquiring knowledge. It is best to take the opinion of the expert with a grain of salt. Therefore, the opinions of an expert is important in providing someone with a little bit of insight in order to be able to further acquire knowledge.

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