I really enjoyed the article, especially the parts about experts being able to apply their knowledge. I have said for a long time that science is an activity, it is something scientists do. It is nice to see others who are able to communicate that idea to a larger audience.
The only thing that I might add to the article is the idea of independence. What type of stake, financial or otherwise, does a scientist have in what they are saying? The most obvious example would be the scientists who worked for tobacco companies saying that smoking doesn’t increase your chances of getting cancer. In the biomedical research world, potential conflicts of interest and independence have become a very hot topic given the potential financial rewards of a drug.