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Date: | Mon, 19 Feb 2007 07:23:22 -0800 |
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Here is a useful guidepost about faith vs reason:
CONFIRMATION BIAS (from Google)
DESCRIPTION
When we have made a decision or built a hypothesis, we will actively
seek things that will confirm our decision or hypothesis. We will also
avoid things that will disconfirm this. The alternative is to face the
dissonance of being wrong.
We use this approach both for searching our memory and looking for
things in the external world.
So what?
USING IT
After having persuaded a person of something, help them feel good by
letting them find examples that confirm their good example.
DEFENDING
After a decision is made, consider whatever evidence you can find, even
if it disconfirms the decisionat least you will make a better decision
next time. Also beware of people feeding you confirming evidence.
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SOME EXAMPLES (by others):
"For what a man more likes to be true, he more readily believes."
Francis Bacon (1561-1626)
The mind lingers with pleasure upon the facts that fall happily into
the embrace of the theory, and feels a natural coldness toward those
that seem [not compatible with the theory]. Instinctively there is a
special searching-out of phenomena that support it, for the mind is led
by its desires.
The working hypothesis differs from the ruling
theory in that it is used as a means of determining facts, and has for
its chief function the suggestion of lines of inquiry; the inquiry
being made, not for the sake of the hypothesis, but for the sake of
facts. Chamberlin 1895
scientists do not seek to impose their needs and wants on Nature,
but instead humbly interrogate Nature and take seriously what they
find. Carl Sagan 1985
scientific theories, by their very nature, cannot be negotiated or
politically imposed. Pat Duffy Hutcheon 1997
Don't be trapped by dogma which is living with the results of other
people's thinking. Steve Jobs 2005
"Having one view prevail is harmful; it becomes a belief system, not
science." Kavan Khachaturian 2006
"An advocate knows the answer and looks for evidence to support it: a
scientist asks nature how much support there is for competing
hypotheses." Ray Hilborn 2006
Adrian
-- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info ---
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