The Nature of Expertise
If you want to learn something deeply, the ideal teacher is someone who both understands the subject matter in depth and has firsthand experience applying it. That combination of knowledge & experience constitutes real expertise.
Formal qualifications may signal exposure to centralized knowledge, but they are not a prerequisite for genuine understanding. A person can develop deep expertise through independent study, experimentation, mentorship, and persistent curiosity. What matters most is the depth of comprehension and the ability to apply knowledge critically, not the possession of a credential.
When combined with discernment, critical thinking, and humility, the modern learner has access to nearly all the tools once monopolized by centralized institutions (books, research archives, open discussions, and the global reach of the internet).
Given enough time, discipline, and feedback, a dedicated individual can cultivate legitimate expertise without ever stepping into a traditional institution.
That said, foundational learning often benefits from structured environments. Institutions, when well-run, provide frameworks that help students grasp fundamentals efficiently, expose them to peer discourse, and offer curated access to expert feedback. They also encourage curious pursuit of unanswered questions - that is the beauty of University (the philosophy, not the institution). This scaffolding can prevent blind spots that self-taught learners sometimes develop when they lack structure or guidance. Or skipping foudational concepts leading to a shakey base.
Therefore, in a decentralized soace, it is crucial to constantly test models of understanding with peers (nodes), and relinguish any resemblance of hubris or arrogance.
However, centralized institutions are not without flaws. Their bureaucratic structure often makes them slow to update models of reality, resistant to paradigm shifts, and vulnerable to perverse incentives - whether financial, political, or reputational.
A certificate, at its core, is evidence that someone has completed a prescribed course of study within that system. It is not necessarily proof of wisdom, creativity, or the capacity to think independently.
If someone dismisses an individual due to a lack of credentials without addressing their ideas or refuting their model, something nefarious is going on. There is no excuse for this.
In truth, most knowledge is not locked behind institutional walls. What they primarily offer is organization and access to mentors.
The development of expertise likely requires a balance of both worlds. Centralized structure and guidance, and Decentralized paradigm shifts and ruthless questioning.
