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The Order of Things

Democracy and the Decline of Reason - Will Davies

Mar 11, 2019
Professor Will Davies discusses the decline of expertise in society, the rise of valuing emotions over facts, the historical context of fake news and post-truth, the critique of technocratic expertise, the concept of a 'nervous state' in modern democracies, and the virtue signaling and tactical debates in public discourse.
43:40

Episode guests

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Quick takeaways

  • Challenges faced by traditional expertise due to factors like anti-vaxxers and fake news, highlighting the decline of The Expert.
  • Shift towards valuing feelings over facts in societal discourse linked to the rise of fake news and post-truth culture, showcasing subjective perceptions overriding empirical evidence.

Deep dives

Decline of The Expert

The decline of The Expert is highlighted in the discussion, emphasizing challenges faced by traditional expertise due to factors like anti-vaxxers and fake news. Criticisms from both left and right are examined, tracing back to the origin and history of the concept of expertise, revealing a complicated evolution.

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