From the revelation that Iran stopped its nuclear weapons program in 2003, let's hope Norman Podhoretz realizes how foolish he looks.
Podhoretz, an adjunct fellow at the Hudson Institute and prominent figure in the neoconservative movement, told British newspaper The Daily Telegraph in October that bombing Iran was essential to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons. He must have pulled that assertion at random from a hat because he obviously had no better information about Iran's phantom nukes than the rest of us.
Still, Podhoretz has the attention of politicians and media at his disposal because he belongs to a segment of American society properly called "expert sciolists." Webster's dictionary defines sciolism as "a superficial show of learning."
True experts usually have extensive academic credentials, certification or professional experience in their fields of expertise. That could mean an economist with a doctorate, a certified engineer or a plumber with 20 years of experience.
Expert sciolists, however, are ideologues who hide behind veneers of expertise to push political agendas disguised as scholarly research, often lacking academic or professional qualifications related to their supposed fields of expertise. Their real expertise is in persuading politicians, journalists and the public to regard the incredible, indefensible, unbelievable and unthinkable as common sense.
Self-appointed transportation expert Wendell Cox opposes rail-based mass transit and smart-growth policies, claiming they cost too much, fail to reduce congestion and curtail housing choices. Instead, he maintains, cities should build roads and encourage suburban sprawl. He has lobbied against urban-rail projects around the world and regularly writes guest columns for newspapers.
According to the Dallas Observer, Cox has taken funding from the American Highway Users Alliance, the main lobby for the highway industry, for reports that criticize passenger rail and praise highways, but he told the Observer that his funding sources were "irrelevant" and that he was only interested in facts. I suppose politicians' campaign contributions are likewise irrelevant to their policymaking, aren't they?
In 2001, the Family Research Council published an academic-looking article called "The Negative Health Effects of Homosexuality" by Timothy Dailey, an FRC senior research fellow.
With the "Ph.D." suffix attached to Dailey's name, it all seems pretty authoritative until the reader notices that the article is pure homophobic vitriol, as are most of his articles on the FRC Web site. It's interesting how the religious right produces men who have a preoccupation with homosexuality rivaling that of homosexuals themselves.
Though their credibility withers under close scrutiny, many expert sciolists exert considerable influence.
Before his Daily Telegraph interview, Podhoretz gave the same Iran-bombing advice in a private meeting with President Bush. Cox does consulting work for cities worldwide and has helped kill rail-transit projects in many of them. Dailey has taught at colleges in the United States and abroad.
But notice the disproportion between the expert sciolists' influence and their credentials.
Podhoretz has two bachelor's degrees and a master's in liberal arts, Hebrew literature and English literature. He has no terminal degree, let alone one in a field related to international relations.
Cox got his bachelor's degree in government and his master's in business administration. He has no formal training or certification as an urban planner, civil engineer, logistician or architect. His only professional grounding is an eight-year stint as an appointed member of the former Los Angeles County Transportation Commission.
Dailey's doctorate and his other degrees are in religion. He has no degree in sociology, psychology, medicine or public health.
Being an effective consumer of information requires knowing that some snake oil comes in the form of ideas. Next time someone calls himself an "expert," find out if his highest credential is a Ph.D. or just B.S.
Write to Alaric at ajdearment@bsu.edu
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