Koppl - Expert Failure

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Expert Failure

Roger Koppl

Syracuse University

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Roger Koppl 2018

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To Maria, who brings joy

Leonard Read taught us that no one knows how to make a pencil. Something similar can be true of a book. My name appears on the title page, but the true authors of this book are the participants in several scholarly communities I have had the honor of engaging, as well as many journalists, reformers, forensic scientists, public defenders, intellectuals, family, friends, acquaintances, and passing strangers. I will single out a few persons for thanks, but I know I have unwillingly omitted others no less deserving of gratitude and acknowledgment. I thank them all. Unfortunately, however, I cannot blame them for anything wrong with this book.

My wife, Maria Minniti, has been an unfailing source of love, support, and stinging criticism. Peter Boettke has provided encouragement and helpful commentary. I have profited from an ongoing conversation on experts with David Levy and Sandra Peart. Stephen Turner helped me work out the contours of the literature on experts. Ronald Polansky improved my understanding of Socrates and the Apology. I have profited from exchanges with Simon Cole and from opportunities and generous help he has given me. Alvin Goldman has given me some helpful lessons in social epistemology. He is not to blame for my more synecological vision, however. Lawrence Kobilinsky extended himself to eliminate errors and omissions from my first published paper on forensic science, which led to my work on the general problem of experts. Our conversations have been helpful and stimulating. Michael Risinger has provided many stimulating comments and conversations, along with general support and encouragement. Phillip Magness and David Singerman both helped me understand J. M. Keyness opinions on eugenics and eugenic policy. Phil also guided me to source materials on that topic. Francisco Doria provided a manuscript copy of After Gdel , which was later published as Gdels Way . Chico has also helped me with computability theory. Santiago Gangotena suggested the metaphor experts all the way down.

I received help from many other people. A few of them are Trey Carson, Jim Cowan, Alexander Wade Craig, David Croson, James Della Bella, William Butos, David Colander, Christpher Coyne, Abigail Deveraux, Itiel Dror, Teppo Felin, Christine Funk, Paul Giannelli, Nathan Goodman, Colin Harris, Keith Harward, Steve Horwitz, Keith Inman, Stuart Kauffman, Dan Krane, Robert Kurzban, Moren Lvesque, David Lucas, Thomas McQuade, Barkley Rosser, Norah Rudin, Meghan Sacks, John Schiemann, Vernon Smith, the late Ion Sterpan, William Thompson, Richard Wagner, and Lawrence Yuter.

I learned a lot at the Wirth Institutes third biennial Austrian School of Economics Conference, Austrian Views on Experts and Epistemic Monopolies, which was held in Vancouver on October 1516, 2010. Participants included David Croson, Arthur Diamond, Laurent Dobuzinskis, Rob Garnett, Steve Horwitz, Leslie Marsh, Sandra Peart, Emily Skarbek, Diana Thomas, and Alfred Wirth. I appreciate the support Alfred Wirth and the Wirth Institute have given to this and other Austrian conferences.