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Epistemology

I spent a month entertaining the idea that Shakespeare didn't write the plays attributed to him, that Edward de Vere was a better candidate. Further inspection led to getting rid of that idea, but so much is unknown about Shakespeare, and the crudeness of people who put forward the Stratford man, keeps the idea alive.

So much is unknown about the body. Vaccines are a huge boon to public health, but it turns out it's not without complications. I don't think vaccines lead to autism, but they are made with animal parts, and the levels of elements, and the general unknown about why bad things happen to people, have led to a huge anti-vaccine movement. If you make an assumption and collect evidence, you can fill up you bad pretty quickly. Now having some perspective by going to medical school and working in medicine will help you to weigh the facts, but not everyone can do that.

Certain professions guard the knowledge, and certain professions use experience to teach. We can all become doctors and teachers and psychotherapists and engineers and speech therapists and home remodelers and anything little thing you set your heart to.

It's very American to imagine oneself an expert.

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