“The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function."--F. Scott Fitzgerald
Bias and Flaws in Data and Reasoning
Mass media, authority figures, and peers in the modern age of communication inundate us with facts and opinions about many topics important to us. A good education prepares students to read, listen, and view evidence and assertions critically, deciding what evidence to pay attention to and what to dismiss.
Furthermore, we need to be able to apply these critical skills to our own observations, thinking, and messages to others.
Furthermore, we need to be able to apply these critical skills to our own observations, thinking, and messages to others.
Bias
- Be skeptical of claims based on "everyone knows . . ."
- Notice and criticize claims that people make when they select only the data that support the claim and ignore any that would contradict it.
- Insist that any assumptions or starting points for discussion be stated clearly.
- Notice and criticize conclusions that are represented as the only ones worth considering, with no mention of other possibilities or alternatives.
- Once a person (including yourself) believes a generalization, he or she is more likely to notice cases that agree with it and discount or overlook cases that do not.
Misuse or Misapplication of Graphing
- Check graphs to see that they do not misrepresent results by using inappropriate scales or by failing to specify the axes and intervals clearly.
Overgeneralization
- Be skeptical of statements in which all members of a group (teenagers, dentists, Asians) are implied to have nearly identical characteristics.
- Question claims based on vague attributions ("leading doctors say . . .") or statements made by celebrities or other famous people about a topic outside their expertise.
Correlation and Cause and Effect
- Consider when some event of interest might have occurred by chance.
- Use and interpret "if . . . then," "causes," "possibly," and "probably," language carefully.
Science Process Skills
- Hypothesis and testing are valuable pursuits, even when they disprove an idea or theory, because they can lead to progress in scientific knowledge.
- Recognize when comparisons between two or more groups or experiences may not be fair because conditions are not the same.
- Be skeptical of claims based on very small samples or a trial that was not repeated under the same conditions by another scientific team.
Living with Reason
- Never be afraid to ask "how do you know?" Welcome the question and attempt reasonable answers when others ask it of you.
- Identify the sources of facts you use as a foundation for your reasoning, and expect others to do the same.
- Identify when you are stating an opinion and when you are reporting a fact.
- Exhibit curiosity and imagination in suggesting hypotheses or possible explanations for a puzzling event or phenomena; value honesty and openness if your idea needs to be modified or discarded.