Right. Science is not selectively choosing information like a high schooler supporting a thesis in a five paragraph essay.
I wonder how much the reasonably common "being assigned this stance to write about" assignments play a role in this.
I went to meaningfully above average schools by a lot of metrics, including spending, and I still did way more "persuasive writing" assignments where I was handed a conclusion than ones where I was free to draw my own and justify it. So I was literally taught to do this and basically had to unlearn it.
It absolutely does. You’re taught to trust and memorize everything you’re told, until you move to higher education where you’re taught to question and validate information. Without proper education in the latter, the desire to doubt remains without the tools to properly research information.
That’s why there’s a financial boundary on higher education in the US. They can’t have poor people thinking for themselves.
An intellectually honest essay would "steel man" the opposing arguments, then proceed to demonstrate why they're all wrong. Unfortunately, you don't get the opportunity to be intellectually honest when you're assigned a conclusion.
no-no, ofc science is not only that, it's ALSO bitching about the thesis with your classmates
Except for those flat-earth guys who started doing actual research with lasers and gyroscopes, proving that the earth really is round and rotating, too.
It takes a special kind of person to go through all that effort and then say, "Oh, that test showed that the Earth is round. There must be a problem with the methodology! Just like the previous dozen tests."
Are you talking about the same team that then refused to accept their own results and are still trying to prove the world is flat?
I remember that for the doc. I think part of the reason they don't want to accept the truth is because the community and friends they made along the way in believing this bat shit crazy stuff. Someone should make a post flat earthers group. Shit add Scientology and any other crazy cult type behavior.
My theory is we are very easily susceptible to friendly groups that accept us because we want that community. That idea that we have a lack of a "3rd place" after work and home creates a desire to connect on a different level. The details of believing the earth is flat, Trump is the second coming, or the anti-vaxers don't matter as much to some people as being around others and being accepted.
The latest version of Dirk Gently has an episode where the Pentagon is desperately searching for the most powerful computer program on Earth.
You type in your conclusion, say "I want to invade Switzerland" and the program will search the entire interwebs to come up with a logical, fact based analysis that explains why it's a reasonable thing to do.
latest version of dirk gently? what? where? I needs to know! I've only seen couple seasons from netflix. you know the dirk gentlys holistic detective agency
The one I mentioned is a 2010 series from the BBC I just saw on BritBox streaming service.
I saw that one after I saw the 2016 version with Elijah Wood.
So the older version was 'new' to me.
Sorry for any confusion.
That in general sense is linked to how logic works with conspiracy theorists and similar whackos: they have already decided the conclusion, every bit of information is interpreted as evidence.
Except for the credible research that clearly disproves their beliefs. That’s labeled as deep-state, big-(blank), or (blank)gate.
There are some of the social science fields that the whole academic world revolves around this mindset 😮💨
