tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095807065479059898.post6266861242488227125..comments2023-06-21T00:36:40.840-07:00Comments on Plead Ignorance: How do we know what we know.Robert the Skeptichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10863488312604865183noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095807065479059898.post-48346470360875333262010-08-14T09:06:47.795-07:002010-08-14T09:06:47.795-07:00SecretAgent I sometimes wonder if critical thinkin...<b>SecretAgent</b> I sometimes wonder if critical thinking can be taught or it is an ingrained personality trait. In talking with others, like me, many recall questioning the established "wisdom" at an early age in spite of being coerced to conform. Worth pondering.<br /><br /><b>TechnoBabe</b> This is a good thing, it means you view the world with your eyes and mind open.Robert the Skeptichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10863488312604865183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095807065479059898.post-47542169704912059312010-08-14T07:07:37.084-07:002010-08-14T07:07:37.084-07:00If as you say belief requires blind faith then I a...If as you say belief requires blind faith then I am a non believer. In my life there is not blind faith in any thing or any one.CiCihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08615265608675467505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095807065479059898.post-32644089057784170462010-08-13T19:12:24.292-07:002010-08-13T19:12:24.292-07:00People are just not taught to think critically. A...People are just not taught to think critically. About much of anything.secret agent womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03763879283931347382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095807065479059898.post-7434000809342373952010-08-13T13:31:44.367-07:002010-08-13T13:31:44.367-07:00Marylinn You said it accurately and succinctly.<b>Marylinn</b> You said it accurately and succinctly.Robert the Skeptichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10863488312604865183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095807065479059898.post-11675437184099982952010-08-13T12:59:59.384-07:002010-08-13T12:59:59.384-07:00Soon we will return to the notion of the world as ...Soon we will return to the notion of the world as flat, given our rate of regression. We are not who we once were and need to make appropriate adjustments. We cannot survive on faded glory. Becoming more ignorant is not going to turn the ship around.Marylinn Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02759437467691163658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095807065479059898.post-57764256677084067822010-08-13T07:44:23.730-07:002010-08-13T07:44:23.730-07:00Rain It would seem so, particularly if the main cr...<b>Rain</b> It would seem so, particularly if the main criticism against Obama is that he is an "intellectual".<br /><br /><b>Orhan</b> Take heart, they probably didn't need to mention Australia as you already have named a city after Darwin.Robert the Skeptichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10863488312604865183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095807065479059898.post-46958072334075045832010-08-13T04:55:56.408-07:002010-08-13T04:55:56.408-07:00FFS, why is Turkey on the bottom!? Maybe the quest...FFS, why is Turkey on the bottom!? Maybe the question wasn't presented to the Turks properly. And its funny to not see Australia on the list anywhere. We just don't matter :(Mehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16888125796129754219noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095807065479059898.post-68093463684262160642010-08-12T12:05:35.980-07:002010-08-12T12:05:35.980-07:00It does seem we are sliding into a time where igno...It does seem we are sliding into a time where ignorance is considered a virtue. I don't know how that happened but it serves a certain group quite well that it be so.Rain Trueaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07994628226501093880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095807065479059898.post-70595910354119526202010-08-12T08:22:09.741-07:002010-08-12T08:22:09.741-07:00Dr. Mom The rise of the non-religious is encouragi...<b>Dr. Mom</b> The rise of the non-religious is encouraging however there is little in the way of continuity among them; we tend to remain individuals whereas the religious are organized and united as a social and political force. Still yes, the trend is encouraging.<br /><br />And yes, I would rather deal with the realities than find comfort in a myth.<br /><br /><b>Gutsy</b> Indeed, many (including me) find the changes happening here quite sobering. Are we expecting to return to an economy that was built on easy credit and borrowing? Because that is what fueled the most recent spurt of economic growth and (surprise) it was not sustainable. Scary times still ahead.<br /><br /><b>Bananas</b> I refer tongue-in-cheek to our's being the "gratest nation on earth". A recently published book titled "We're number one" listed statistically how America is first in teen pregnancy and abortion, highest medical costs and the most percentage of our population in prison. And, of course, we execute our criminals as does Iran and China. Our arrogence as a people often blinds us as to what our true potential could be would we not let our idology instead let us believe.<br /><br />As for evolution, I watch our Conservative party and conclude that reverse-evolution is happening. Our Republicans are wading back into the swamp pointing the way we should be going.<br /><br /><b>Penny</b> Hemmingway was right but only if our educational system teaches people how to "think" critically. The trend in this country is to teach in order to pass standardized tests. And there is great pressure to teach religious dogma as science here - it is a continual battle.Robert the Skeptichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10863488312604865183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095807065479059898.post-26343897767948771532010-08-12T02:56:55.565-07:002010-08-12T02:56:55.565-07:00We don't know whether most of what we know is ...We don't know whether most of what we know is actually true. We rely on those scientists to tell us, and we trust them, most of the time, because we can't do otherwise realistically. Sure, if there isn't scientific consensus, or what they're saying seems wrong, we have to do some work. Most of us don't have enough time or inclination to attempt to check everything though, we just have to absorb what we saw on the news this morning and "trust" it's at least mostly true. This is where a healthy dose of skepticism is useful of course. Ernest Hemingway once said that the purpose of education was to give young people a fool-proof, built-in crap detector.Pennyhttp://penjandrum.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095807065479059898.post-355040947112182712010-08-11T23:51:58.573-07:002010-08-11T23:51:58.573-07:00Yeah, but how many people who accept the theory of...Yeah, but how many people who accept the theory of evolution can cite any evidence in it? Being unsure is a more scientic attitude than than accepting stuff on trust and Iceland is too far north to b the greatest country in the world.Gorilla Bananashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13044093013423635830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095807065479059898.post-8303724437513648872010-08-11T20:24:14.728-07:002010-08-11T20:24:14.728-07:00I think there are many things happening to the U.S...I think there are many things happening to the U.S. at the same time. There is a general feeling that things are not what they used to be, whether standard of education, attitudes, lack of enthusiasm, a different population with perhaps less ambition, etc. I think we all realize that we're in a changing world, and unsure of where we're heading.Gutsy Livinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02226653890127738115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8095807065479059898.post-63567415317136568322010-08-11T16:53:41.818-07:002010-08-11T16:53:41.818-07:00We can hold some optimism in the fact that irrelig...We can hold some optimism in the fact that irreligiousness is rising in the US, can't we?<br /><br />You put your finger on the problem: It's a lot harder to understand than to guess and believe. It takes effort and time.<br /><br />The payoff might even be unhappy. You have to give up treasured worldviews. Being right may not necessarily be all it's cracked up to be.<br /><br />And yet...<br /><br />Being right, understanding truth, is the only thing we really have in this world. All else is illusion, even if it does make us feel good.The Motherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15157821003454766570noreply@blogger.com