This is an encore program, originally broadcast in July, 2017.
Thanks to technological advances like the Internet, we have access to more information than ever before. Gone are the days when we argued at length with friends over a piece of trivia – instead we pull out our smart phones and instantly get the answer.
But as Tom Nichols explains in his book, The Death of Expertise, this information isn’t making us any smarter. In fact, it’s turning us into an army of ill-informed and angry citizens who denounce intellectual achievement and distrust experts.
Dr. Nichols is a professor of National Security Affairs at the U.S. Naval War College, an adjunct professor at the Harvard Extension School and a former aide in the U.S. Senate. He’s written five books on international relations, Russian affairs, and nuclear weapons, and is a senior contributor for The Federalist. In addition, Dr. Nichols is an undefeated five-time Jeopardy! champion.
