Don’t you get tired of this?

Posted on September 22, 2014 | 3 Comments

I have seen so much of this lately:

Jackpot

And this:

IMG_0634

And in so many cases when we challenge this cherry-picking and confirmation bias we get this:

IMG_0611

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3 responses to “Don’t you get tired of this?”

  1. Laurance | September 23, 2014 at 1:17 am |

    The Other Side does this all the time, of course.

    But I have to be careful that I don’t do the same thing and focus only on things that agree with ME ME ME. It’s so pleasant, isn’t it, to feel affirmed and vindicated. 😛

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  2. Ken | September 23, 2014 at 7:36 am |

    I agree completely, Laurance. It is just part of being human – we are more a rationalising species than a rational one.

    At least the scientific community has procedures of continuous peer review and the requirement to match ideas against reality which, to some extent, limits the effects of cherry-picking and confirmation bias. Politcal activism, however, usually has little more than group thinking to control confirmation bias.

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  3. Maurice | September 23, 2014 at 3:54 pm |

    Ken.

    Actually we are human and it is challenging to review the other view. That is one reason I read the letters and comments section. Of course, it is even more challenging to review the other view… when it’s bollocks.

    In science, of course, peer review is important but at least as important is a questioning attitude; to question everything…and everyone. There are no authorities only evidence. Within reason, of course.

    (I do my best to walk the talk. As time goes on I am changing my view on GE and Nuclear power because humanity will need all our options if we are to avoid the ongoing climate, biodiversity, over-development and population crunches. And because my reading of the evidence is that the problems have been over hyped).

    Thanks keep up the good work.

    Maurice

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