Experts and democracy: pandemics, monetary policy & AI w/ Peter Kurti, CIS - EP201

Aug 15, 2023

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The Centre for Independent Studies’ Peter Kurti asks “ Should those who know best rule the rest of us?” In this episode, host Gene Tunny chats with Peter about his new paper "Authority, Expertise and Democracy," which explores the role of experts in government and how society should best utilize their knowledge in public policy making. They delve into the question of when it makes sense to delegate power to experts and the relevant considerations. The role of experts in decision making around the pandemic, monetary policy, and AI are discussed.

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About this episode’s guest: Peter Kurti

Peter Kurti is Director of the Culture, Prosperity & Civil Society program at the CIS. He is also Adjunct Associate Professor in the School of Law at the University of Notre Dame Australia, and Adjunct Research Fellow at the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture at Charles Sturt University. He has written extensively about issues of religion, liberty, and civil society in Australia, and appears frequently as a commentator on television and radio. In addition to having written many newspaper articles, he is also the author of The Tyranny of Tolerance: Threats to Religious Liberty in Australia; Euthanasia: Putting the Culture to Death?; and Sacred & Profane: Faith and Belief in a Secular Society, published by Connor Court. Peter is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and an ordained minister in the Anglican Church of Australia.

What’s covered in EP201

[00:02:30] Authority and experts in government.
[00:04:07] Impact of experts during COVID.
[00:09:29] Discrimination and lockdown restrictions.
[00:13:29] Delegating power to experts.
[00:18:12] Politicians' difficult role in decision-making.
[00:21:11] Trade-offs in decision making.
[00:27:23] Vaccine mandates.
[00:34:27] AI and expert advice.
[00:37:35] Expert advice and self-interest.
[00:37:59] The importance of delegation of monetary policy decisions.
[00:40:19] Expert Failure book by Roger Koppl.
[00:43:33] Experts and human failings.
[00:50:32] The length of the leash.
[00:52:12] The role of experts in policy making.

Links relevant to the conversation

Peter Kurti’s new paper for the Centre for Independent Studies:

Authority, Expertise And Democracy. Should those who know best rule the rest of us?

Episode on Public Choice theory mentioned by Gene:

EP93 – Public Choice theory with Dr Brendan Markey-Towler – Economics Explored

Thanks to Obsidian Productions for mixing the episode and to the show’s sponsor, Gene’s consultancy business www.adepteconomics.com.au.

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