What do you think qualifies someone as an expert?

Question

Do they need to have an education or a doctorate? Or just life experiance to be an expert in your book.

Answer 1

Both are important, but I give the nod personally to experience.

Keep in mind that in my field - computer technology, experience matters far more than education.

I know many people with HS diplomas that could handle anything computer related that's thrown at them. I also know plenty of people that have CS degrees but can't actually solve real world computer related problems better than they can fight their way out of a wet paper bag.

I have to admit my own bias as I answer.

Answer 2

Education

Answer 3

When there are no more questions to ask on a certain subject, then I will say they are an expert. It is not fair to say only education makes an expert because how many teachers/professors, and even philosophers do you know of that were jackasses?

Answer 4

depends. If you don't know about what they are talking about, it's hard to gauge how much they know, and whether they are really an expert. I would trust someone with a bachelors degree or some kind of schooling (like a mechanic to tell me about my car). One CAN educate themselves on a certain subject and not have any degree at all (though that is more rare).

Answer 5

Yahoo answers Level 7.

Answer 6

Both, but if I had to pick one it would be the experience not the education.

Answer 7

Both experience and knowledge are needed.

For example - no-one knows what happens when we die. But if some person dies and contacts the living - he has the experience and the knowledge ;)

Answer 8

Someone who has lived it.

Answer 9

the experience says it all... papers don't mean nothing

Answer 10

been there done that= expert.