I thought about forwarding this cool article but then realized that, just like reality doesn't care about us, there's a category of people who doesn't really care about reality.
I thought about forwarding this cool article but then realized that, just like reality doesn't care about us, there's a category of people who doesn't really care about reality.
The thing is, what we perceive as reality might be wrong sometimes. Fortunately the scientific method is a pretty good algorithm whose purpose is to expose it whether we like the answer or not. Our species doesn't know everything yet, and we're limited by the capabilities of our bodies, knowledge, technology, and other things.
Many people like to create a worldview in their heads which they become comfortable with. That's fine, but trouble arises when it's challenged and they fail to question or adjust it. Those who stubbornly defend against, dismiss, or demonize contradictory evidence significantly increase their probability of being wrong. A great technique to avoid this trap is to ask yourself, and answer, the following question for any subject, no matter how uncomfortable or taboo:
What facts or evidence would it take for you to stop believing in what you currently believe?
It's an excellent self-check, and a tool no open minded person should be without.
Is it? There is a lot of shoddy science that is done, and a lot of things that were accepted as scientific fact only to be overturned. Just because something is accepted by the medical community (for example) doesn't mean that it's necessarily a fact. </devils_advocate>