There is some fine line from where argument from authority stops and then you need to think for yourself. I mean to say that if you would have to think for yourself to come up with Atomic Physics you would have to be exceptionally smart. to combine the intellects of Newton, Maxwell, Einstein, Heisenberg, Schrodinger, Feynman etc. And each one made mistakes on their own. Only together could Modern Physics emerge. But after you have done the homework. You have learned the material and understood it, then you ought to think for yourself. This idea applies almost in any field. 

But it is never a good idea to follow the crowd. And even when it comes to experts, it takes a great deal of common sense to tell who is the real thing and who are the fakers.

[The religious believe in following their leaders instead of thinking for themselves. Authority is some kind of fixation.

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