# S4 E36 Appeal to Authority: Why Smart People Make Bad Decisions

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/turfgrass-epistemology-6708747/s4-e36-appeal-to-authority-why-smart-people-make-bad-decisions
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/turfgrass-epistemology-6708747/s4-e36-appeal-to-authority-why-smart-people-make-bad-decisions.md
Podcast: [Turfgrass Epistemology](https://stenobird.com/podcast/turfgrass-epistemology-6708747)
Published: 2026-07-09T15:03:53+00:00
Episode link: https://TurfgrassEpistemology.podbean.com/e/s4-e36-appeal-to-authority-why-smart-people-make-bad-decisions/
Audio file: https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/qr52ap3rdjnvppi2/Appeal_to_Authority_Why_Smart_People_Make_Bad_Decisions73in5.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/turfgrass-epistemology-6708747/episodes/s4-e36-appeal-to-authority-why-smart-people-make-bad-decisions
Duration seconds: 4500

## Resource

In this episode of Turfgrass Epistemology, we examine Stanley Milgram's classic paper, Behavioral Study of Obedience (1963), and explore how authority influences our beliefs and decisions. Why do turf managers, consultants, and consumers often accept claims because a professor, university, or industry expert said them? Learn how the logical fallacy of Appeal to Authority can lead us to substitute credentials for evidence—and why scientific claims should be evaluated by data, not status. Paper Discussed:Milgram, S. (1963). Behavioral Study of Obedience. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 67, 371–378. #AppealToAuthority #StanleyMilgram #CriticalThinking #LogicalFallacies #TurfgrassEpistemology #Science #EvidenceBasedManagement #GolfCourseManagement #Agronomy #Skepticism 📌 https://www.gofundme.com/f/TurfgrassEpistemology Thank you for being part of this community and for supporting evidence-based turfgrass science. Join Turfgrass Epistemology to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-UZnHkJhAmARDZ4YoHnc_A/join Voicemail:859-444-4234 Apple Podcasthttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/turfgrass-epistemology/id1717271379 Spotify Podcasthttps://open.spotify.com/show/1cTpdrChToeEFAOX9wkXFI iHeart Radio Podcasthttps://www.iheart.com/podcast/1323-turfgrass-epistemology-129043524/ Podbeanhttps://turfgrassepistemology.podbean.com/ Online consultingCalendly.com/TravisShaddox TwitterTwitter.com/TravisShaddox EmailTravisShaddox@gmail.com Turfgrass Programs and Extension Service Information:https://www.usna.usda.gov/assets/images/as_pdf_image/LandGrantColleges.pdf Diagnostic Criteria for Turfgrass Bullshit Disorder:https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y_GeVPQ237pzm0ImTP4eVij6I9D0PHPn/view

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