That doesn’t solve the fundamental problem. The problem with an established authority is that its primary concern is to maintain itself as an authority – otherwise, it will soon cease to be one. Thus, it will judge candidates for inclusion in the authoritarian body based on their conformity to its settled principles, and it will tend to judge their work in the same way. The result will tend to become closed and static. That may work in religion, but it is dubious in commerce, politics, and military affairs, and it is strongly detrimental to what we usually think of as art and science. Authoritarian art becomes mere decor, authoritarian science becomes mere engineering. In a sense, they cease to exist. But there’s nothing wrong with decor or engineering, if that’s all you want.
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