I’m working on a project about phony experts, which I loosely define as purported experts who can’t do what they claim to be able to do, or whose claimed expertise is nonsensical or non-credible. I would welcome reader suggestions regarding categories of experts to look into. Here are some examples I’ve been toying with: (1) Homeopaths; (2) Economic forecasters; (3) Creationists; (4) Psychiatrists who claim to be able to judge “future dangerousness”; and (5) Clinical ecologists.
I’m not looking for Holocaust deniers, Flat Earthers, or any other group that’s not taken seriously by the American public, but categories of experts (or even individuals–Deepak Chopra?) whose views are quoted in the media (Discovery Institute creationists), who testify as experts in court (future dangerousness prognosticators), whose services are paid for by companies (economic forecasters), or whose products and services many individuals buy (homeopathic “medicine”).
Please post suggestions below, or email me at deliotb at aol dot com.