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Author Topic:   Galileo Was Wrong, Okay?
Diomedes
Member
Posts: 995
From: Central Florida, USA
Joined: 09-13-2013


(2)
Message 28 of 54 (761351)
06-30-2015 4:16 PM
Reply to: Message 5 by Suzanne Romano
06-30-2015 12:46 PM


Re: RICKER BIO
Harry Hamlin Ricker III is a retired electrical engineer who writes commentaries on physical science, science history, impact of science on society and the philosophy of science. He has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech and a Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of New Hampshire. He has worked for Illinois Institute Of Technology Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, and Communications Satellite Corporation. He has been an amateur astronomer for nearly 50 years and was leader of the Natural Philosophy Alliance relativity interest group for five years. He lives in Newport News, VA.
Logical Fallacy - Appeal to Authority (or Non-Authority)
Definition: Using an authority as evidence in your argument when the authority is not really an authority on the facts relevant to the argument. As the audience, allowing an irrelevant authority to add credibility to the claim being made.
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To expand on this further, I have a degree in Electrical Engineering as well. Graduated in 1996. That degree does not in any way make me an expert on any subject matter within the realm of cosmology any more than a cosmologist is an expert on circuit theory or electromagnetic theory.
And being an 'amateur astronomer' basically stipulates within the confines of the definition that the individual is an amateur, NOT an expert.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 5 by Suzanne Romano, posted 06-30-2015 12:46 PM Suzanne Romano has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 30 by Suzanne Romano, posted 06-30-2015 4:26 PM Diomedes has replied

  
Diomedes
Member
Posts: 995
From: Central Florida, USA
Joined: 09-13-2013


Message 36 of 54 (761374)
06-30-2015 8:18 PM
Reply to: Message 30 by Suzanne Romano
06-30-2015 4:26 PM


Re: RICKER BIO
There is such a thing as an expert witness.
Correct. The keyword is expert.
In court, the appeal to authority is a valid maneuver when backed up by real expertise.
Correct again. And the keywords here are real expertise.
Of course this man is not setting himself up as an expert, though he is certainly affirming he has the competence to judge a science documentary about physics
Wrong. He is attempting to subversively give credence to his pet theories by citing his scholastic acumen, even though that background is not consistent with the subject matter at hand.
Yes there does exist the logical fallacy you cite, and yes it is perfectly appropriate to list one's credentials when publishing an article.
If the logical fallacy exists, then the argument is undermined. So why are you continuing to cite it as reference if you acknowledge this individual is not a subject matter expert on the topic at hand?

This message is a reply to:
 Message 30 by Suzanne Romano, posted 06-30-2015 4:26 PM Suzanne Romano has not replied

  
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