danielmiessler.com » Reason http://danielmiessler.com grep understanding Sun, 12 Feb 2012 09:25:59 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 The Science of Self Delusion | Mother Jones http://danielmiessler.com/blog/the-science-of-self-delusion-mother-jones http://danielmiessler.com/blog/the-science-of-self-delusion-mother-jones#comments Tue, 24 May 2011 05:49:01 +0000 Daniel Miessler http://danielmiessler.com/blog/the-science-of-self-delusion-mother-jones
Reasoning is actually suffused with emotion (or what researchers often call “affect”). Not only are the two inseparable, but our positive or negative feelings about people, things, and ideas arise much more rapidly than our conscious thoughts, in a matter of milliseconds—fast enough to detect with an EEG device, but long before we’re aware of it. That shouldn’t be surprising: Evolution required us to react very quickly to stimuli in our environment. It’s a “basic human survival skill,” explains political scientist Arthur Lupia of the University of Michigan. We push threatening information away; we pull friendly information close. We apply fight-or-flight reflexes not only to predators, but to data itself.
via motherjones.com

I don’t get tired of reading about how biased we all are. It turns a solid, objective opinion into a unicorn rather than an assumed asset.

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]]> http://danielmiessler.com/blog/the-science-of-self-delusion-mother-jones/feed 0 Science and Reason http://danielmiessler.com/blog/science-and-reason http://danielmiessler.com/blog/science-and-reason#comments Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:02:45 +0000 Daniel Miessler http://danielmiessler.com/blog/science-and-reason From adam.blog.heroku.com:

“Science” and “reason” are two words often spoken alongside each other – almost as if they were the same thing. But each are completely different approach to making judgements and predictions about the world around us.

Science is about measurement, controlled experiment, data collection, and empiricism. It tests hypotheses against the hard reality of repeatable experiments with objectively measurable results. Those who practice it are called scientists or empiricists.

Reason, by contrast, is internally generated. It’s building mental models of the world, starting with your internal sense for what is right and pure, from which further truths can be deduced. Those who practice reason are called rationalists.
]]> http://danielmiessler.com/blog/science-and-reason/feed 2 Religious Hipocracy (Comic) http://danielmiessler.com/blog/religious-hipocracy-comic http://danielmiessler.com/blog/religious-hipocracy-comic#comments Thu, 01 Mar 2007 22:03:32 +0000 Daniel Miessler http://dmiessler.com/archives/1180

Source: atheist-community.org

]]> http://danielmiessler.com/blog/religious-hipocracy-comic/feed 0 Convert vs. Contributor http://danielmiessler.com/blog/convert-vs-contributor http://danielmiessler.com/blog/convert-vs-contributor#comments Thu, 26 Oct 2006 09:02:57 +0000 Daniel Miessler http://dmiessler.com/archives/980 It occured to me recently that having what I belive to be an “opinion” is actually a pretty high standard. I know this isn’t true in the strictest sense of the word, i.e. according to the dictionary anyone can have one, but I disagree.

The vast majority of “opinions” are nothing but echoes of peoples’ latest influence. They are parrot songs that were particularly catchy for whatever reason. I think a true opinion is one that stands on a solid base of knowledge and then branches from there.

I was struck with this while debating a friend about the fall of America. I found myself giving the whole “fall of Rome” argument. I’ve heard the argument a number of times, and it’s always made sense to me, but what do I really know about Rome? Not much of anything.

So do I really have an opinion about what caused the fall of Rome? No. No I don’t. What I have is the ability to echo a very small portion of someone else’s opinion, which I find rather intellectually hollow.

Don’t make that mistake, and call others when they make it. It’s not a real idea until you’ve already benefited from existing knowledge and then have something new to add based on that understanding. Until then you’re just posturing.

]]> http://danielmiessler.com/blog/convert-vs-contributor/feed 0 Quote Time http://danielmiessler.com/blog/quote-time http://danielmiessler.com/blog/quote-time#comments Thu, 26 Oct 2006 08:51:39 +0000 Daniel Miessler http://dmiessler.com/archives/979 Believe nothing, no matter where you read it or who said it, not even if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense. — buddha ]]> http://danielmiessler.com/blog/quote-time/feed 2 America: Embracing The Wrong Thing http://danielmiessler.com/blog/america-embracing-the-wrong-thing http://danielmiessler.com/blog/america-embracing-the-wrong-thing#comments Sat, 12 Aug 2006 16:44:21 +0000 Daniel Miessler http://dmiessler.com/archives/863 CNN: God’s Water Flows From Tree

It’s a sad day when a premier news source casts ignorant superstition in a positive light. This country world needs open and logical thought, not fear-based superstition.

Glamorizing a medieval view of the world does nothing but harm humanity. It’s not cute. It’s not sweet. It’s irresponsible and harmful.

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