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(2004) Experts in science and society, Dordrecht, Springer.
I have suggested that philosophers can serve a valuable and legitimate role as consultants to committees. Such philosophers can be conceived of as coaches, furthering the committee's ability to reason about the important practical issues at hand. The general role of a coach involves pointing out flaws in reasoning, teasing out implications and overarching principles. This includes pointing out important solutions and alternatives that are excluded by current politics or from the mandate of the committee. Insofar as the philosopher overlooks major flaws in the arguments being considered, or ignores alternative, important points of view, this must be regarded as a weakness in the services provided. As a coach, the philosopher's role is, in part, to identify weak arguments and dubious assumptions, at least those that are of some consequence in the discussions. This task is consistent with, and indeed requires, that other philosophers serve as social critics.
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Føllesdal, A. (2004)., The philosopher as coach, in E. Kurz-Milcke & G. Gigerenzer (eds.), Experts in science and society, Dordrecht, Springer, pp. 181-199.
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