🔘 Fake News: Other Indicators
There have been many readers of this newsletter who have enjoyed Carl Sagan's advice from last week regarding the “Baloney Detection Kit”.
As we live in an age where we are inundated with contradictory and difficult to evaluate news, here is a set of other useful indicators to consider when you want to evaluate and establish the credibility of anyone who gives us important facts and news.
1) Confusion between Correlation and Causality
For example: A recent study shows that there are more homosexuals among university graduates than among those without a degree. Consequently, studying more makes one become homosexual. Check that there is actual tangible proof of correlation between things. Has this correlation been tested? Otherwise, it is easy to build stories and make them appear credible simply by creating a plausible narrative around them.
2) Corpus Delicti
In addition to what is said, is there tangible, incontrovertible and verifiable evidence that the original cause of any problem being discussed is the one officially reported? How much reliable and verifiable information is there about the official cause of the problem? Are you relying on what you are told or can you personally verify it? (See for example the stories related to "weapons of mass destruction")
3) Witch Hunt
When alternative points of view, even if highly questionable, are the victims of vicious attack, persecution, or censorship, all of your “Baloney Detection Kit” alarm lights should come on. The specific tactic to keep an eye on is that which completely avoids direct confrontation on a scientific basis and which exclusively resorts to discrediting, labeling and censoring those who have different points of view. History shows that, when this happens, it is not a question of defending the truth from charlatans but of favoring power interests that are not immediately apparent (eg. Galileo Galilei, Giordano Bruno)
4) Preventive Labeling
It is good to keep your distance from anyone, individual and institution, labeling alternative points of view as "conspiracy theories" and "fake news". This is an established disinformation tactic used over the centuries to discredit in advance any idea that defies or does not align with the dominant one. When you have concrete facts and an effective understanding of something, comparison and verification should never be denied on principle.
Inspiration: Carl Sagan - "The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark"
🔘 Critical Thinking
“Critical thinking” can be described as the ability to reflect and think independently. Essentially, critical thinking requires a person to use his or her ability to reason. This means being able to learn actively. Not receiving information passively and memorizing it without evaluating it. Those who think critically question ideas and prejudices rigorously rather than immediately take them for granted.
These people will always try to determine if the ideas, facts and discoveries that are submitted to them represent the complete picture of the situation and are open to discovering that they may not be. These are people who like to identify, analyze and solve problems systematically instead of relying only on their instincts and intuition. "
* We used to call these people journalists. However, it seems to me that this is a very fast extinction breed.
Source: NoAlternativeFacts - Apricot UK
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