Using Lay Audiences as Decoys

Experts explain their positions to willing nonexperts while fellow experts listen, making detailed explanation socially comfortable and exposing omitted premises. The audience is openly informed of the purpose.

Dennett proposes that experts explain their positions to interested nonexperts while other experts listen. Addressing beginners gives the speaker a socially comfortable reason to spell out premises that might otherwise be omitted for fear of patronizing a colleague. The audience is openly part of the arrangement; the word decoy does not require deceiving anyone.

The technique targets mutual under-explanation, not the claim that novices are better judges of specialist truth. A listener may discover that an apparent disagreement depends on different definitions, background assumptions, or questions. Genuine disagreement can remain after clarification. The practical result to seek is an accurate, accessible account that expert participants recognize before they resume evaluation.

When to use it

When experts appear to talk past one another or avoid spelling out assumptions that an accessible explanation would reveal.

How it can help

Use an accessible presentation to clarify expert assumptions and terminology, then distinguish misunderstanding from remaining disagreement. Nonexperts are not appointed arbiters of specialist truth.