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Re:Noam Chomsky Joins Faculty at University of Arizona by avip on Saturday August 19, 2017 @06:35AM (#15052674)
[EDITed to leave only the point I'm confident about]

  a scientist looking at nonscientific problems is just as dumb as the next guy
Re:Noam Chomsky Joins Faculty at University of Arizona by myopicgoat on Saturday August 19, 2017 @06:53AM (#15052713)
As much as Chomsky may have been incorrect, I think it is foolish to call him "depressingly ignorant" without justifying your statement. His international recognition both in his field and in his commentaries did not appear out of nowhere.
Re:Noam Chomsky Joins Faculty at University of Arizona by avip on Saturday August 19, 2017 @07:11AM (#15052758)
I think I could justify it... but it'll take some work, and is unlikely to ignite any sort of productive discussion - so I'll just edit that out.
Re:Noam Chomsky Joins Faculty at University of Arizona by psyc on Saturday August 19, 2017 @12:58PM (#15054361)
This seems to be the theory of multiple intelligences + g-factor denialism + credentialism taken to an absurd extreme. I see this idea used so often in arguments, I think it ought to be a formal fallacy. I'll call it Silo Fallacy for now. The idea that Einstein was as capable of making an argument outside his lane as the person on the street is ridiculous enough, but Chomsky identifies as a "public intellectual" - that is his lane.
Re:Noam Chomsky Joins Faculty at University of Arizona by avip on Saturday August 19, 2017 @02:06PM (#15054716)
I'm not very proficient with the "theories" you've mentioned. I'm more into facts. The quote is not offensive and is not about Chomsky. Personally, I find it empirically true. YMMV
Re:Noam Chomsky Joins Faculty at University of Arizona by smithsmith on Saturday August 19, 2017 @09:47AM (#15053308)
How to define a nonscientific problem. There is none. All sociology problems are related to psychology that is related to biology which is related to chemistry which is related to physics which is related to math. https://xkcd.com/435/