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> We need to teach our children to observe the world accurately and debunk pseudo-science. I'm not a scientist and don't have the depth of insight in many fiel
by packet_nerd 8y ago
> We need to teach our children to observe the world accurately and debunk pseudo-science.
I'm not a scientist and don't have the depth of insight in many fields that I feel I could always accurately debunk pseudo-science. Most people aren't experts, and most kids certainly aren't. I've spent my career getting the measly amount of domain expertise I do have, and that's only in a very narrow IT field.
Rather, we need to focus on learning to better evaluate authorities. Who's the most qualified source of information? Which of several competing theories have the most qualified proponents? What incentives might they have to color what they believe?
On the web its really hard to know who's who. Mostly we have nothing better than the tone and look of the site and domain name. That's really pretty weak if you think about it! I'd definitely be interested in a system of some kind (browser extension?) that added a little more information.
- drKarl 8y agoThat's interesting. I always struggle to understand why people believe in a god (or many), or that the Earth is flat and dismiss Science and evidence on the other direction. From the point of view of something that you can't understand, and you choose to delegate to an Authority... and you choose which Authority to trust... if you've been indoctrinated into religion you'll be more prone to choose a priest/pastor or a magic book as your source of Authority, even in things like the origin of the universe and where does life and animals and humans come from. Other people choose David Ike as Authority and believe there's a reptilian master race ruling humanity for millennia, and so on.