by John Kochis, Hamilton
While on my way to run errands the other day, I started thinking about how so many aspects of our lives depend on the expertise of others. I was driving on a road that required heavy equipment operators, engineers, and numerous construction workers to build. The car I was driving works on the principles of engineering, physics (engines use gears which are kind of like 360 degree levers), and chemistry (explosive energy converted into kinetic energy) allows me to go to the store to pick up vegetables, which are grown and harvested by farmers, and processed to ensure that it meets my dietary requirements and are safe. My last stop was to see my doctor, also an expert, who suggested I get the Covid vaccine, which is the product of extensive research conducted by yet more experts like virologists, immunologists, epidemiologists, microbiologists and a whole slew of others that I’m sure I’ve missed.
As we navigate through these challenging times, it is troubling that experts have been demonized and ignored. This especially seems to be the case with science as of late. The scientific method, which uses observation, research, hypothesis, experimentation, analysis, and rigorous peer review, offers a magnetic north to guide humanity through the dark forests of fear and ignorance. God bless the experts!