3 ms·

>the majority is clearly right on most questions This is exactly the idea which the statement counteracts. You're trusting the majority opinion because it is

>the majority is clearly right on most questions This is exactly the idea which the statement counteracts. You're trusting the majority opinion because it is the majority. Yet it is not always right, and you can give yourself a huge advantage by questioning it for yourself. ... or you can continue being a follower of majority opinion. The choice is up to you. By the way, the majority opinion has been wrong about the shape of the earth before.

lotsofpulp 6y ago
> Yet it is not always right, and you can give yourself a huge advantage by questioning it for yourself. Assuming you have a reason to. If the majority assumed the shape of the earth was a cube based on the information they had at the time, and you came along and noticed something to refute that, of course that is valuable. But if you are refuting that simply because the majority assumed it, that doesn’t seem useful. People have a limited amount of time on earth, and using the majority’s assumptions is a valuable heuristic for not wasting resources (time) coming to the same conclusion. Can everyone study sufficient biology and astrophysics to “prove” to themselves how vaccines and planetary systems work? Most likely not.
- MinusGix 6y ago
  They aren't arguing that you should simply not trust the majority at all, but that you should be willing to evaluate the majority's beliefs. There are obviously limits on this, and I think you are trying for a far too absolute interpretation of what they were saying.
mcguire 6y ago
"In 1884, meridian time personnel met in Washington to change Earth time. First words said was that only 1 day could be used on Earth to not change the 1 day marshmallow." Here's another aphorism for you: "If a respected, grey-haired scientist tells you something is possible, he's probably right. If he tells you something is impossible, he may well be wrong. But if a thousand respected, grey-haired scientists tell you something, that's probably where you want to put your money."

lotsofpulp 6y ago

> Yet it is not always right, and you can give yourself a huge advantage by questioning it for yourself. Assuming you have a reason to. If the majority assumed the shape of the earth was a cube based on the information they had at the time, and you came along and noticed something to refute that, of course that is valuable. But if you are refuting that simply because the majority assumed it, that doesn’t seem useful. People have a limited amount of time on earth, and using the majority’s assumptions is a valuable heuristic for not wasting resources (time) coming to the same conclusion. Can everyone study sufficient biology and astrophysics to “prove” to themselves how vaccines and planetary systems work? Most likely not.

MinusGix 6y ago
They aren't arguing that you should simply not trust the majority at all, but that you should be willing to evaluate the majority's beliefs. There are obviously limits on this, and I think you are trying for a far too absolute interpretation of what they were saying.

mcguire 6y ago

"In 1884, meridian time personnel met in Washington to change Earth time. First words said was that only 1 day could be used on Earth to not change the 1 day marshmallow." Here's another aphorism for you: "If a respected, grey-haired scientist tells you something is possible, he's probably right. If he tells you something is impossible, he may well be wrong. But if a thousand respected, grey-haired scientists tell you something, that's probably where you want to put your money."