Wes's Thoughts on Intellectual Honesty:

[weswilson]

1. If something seems outrageous, the issue has probably been presented to you in a dishonest manner.


2. When gauging whether something is "good" or "bad", immediately apply your new standard to things you care about as well as things you don't. Moral judgements should be universal and non-subjective.


3. If peer-reviewed science does not find any validity in something, there's probably a good reason for it. Science does adapt and change, but this isn't the era of Galileo... there's solid evidence behind what they have perceived. Going against worldwide scientific concensus should require a mountain of incontrovertible evidence.


4. Small unknowns do not justify great leaps of imagination. No, I do not know what made that sound, but that does not mean it was a ghost. Similarly, what some consider to be great mysteries of the ages have been clearly demonstrated and are no longer very mysterious. Just because someone tells you science doesn't know something, that doesn't make it so.


5. What most consider to be "common" knowledge is often false. Periodically, reflect on what you think is true... look into the data...read the opinions of people who dissagree with you and sincerely consider their points.


6. You are wrong... often. I am wrong... often. We are all wrong about something. Step outside your issues and consider how you are wrong. Learn how to make decisions in ways that do not focus on you and what you believe. Make your rightness and wrongness adapt to facts... and grow your library of understanding so that you can see evidence that shows you are wrong.

Comments

[chessdev.livejournal.com]

THIS.

Exactly.

+1

[billijean.livejournal.com]

Like, +1, reblog.

[leliel.livejournal.com]

In other words.... one of my favorite Asimov quotes.

So the universe is not quite as you thought it was.
You'd better rearrange your beliefs, then.
Because you certainly can't rearrange the universe."
-- Isaac Asimov & Robert Silverberg

[farchivist.livejournal.com]

Yup.