you-are-wrong-more-than-you-think

[TimG]

http://www.cracked.com/article_19468_5-logical-fallacies-that-make-you-wrong-more-than-you-think.html

#5. We're Not Programmed to Seek "Truth," We're Programmed to "Win"

#4. Our Brains Don't Understand Probability

#3. We Think Everyone's Out to Get Us

#2. We're Hard-Wired to Have a Double Standard

#1. Facts Don't Change Our Minds

Edited July 11, 2012 by TimG

[waldo]

good to see confirmation bias is acknowledged!

... which, equally, necessitate the need to highlight that the MLW member,

XxxX

, holds to themes of conspiracy, group think, ideological bias, confirmation bias, job protection, fraud, data manipulation, peer-review corruption, selling disaster porn, rent seeking, etc., etc., etc.

let me also add in another fallacy... I'm still waiting on a particular MLW member to reply with his own interpretation of a particular cartoon he thought most relevant to a discussion that presumed to reflect upon, 'bias in science':

you keep flogging that toon - perhaps you... you... should take some time and explain exactly what you interpret it to say. While you're doing that, why not relate practical examples... most particularly within the physical sciences - you know, the elephant in the room you keep dancing around.

ok, ok... in anticipation of you actually responding and giving your toon interpretation, I believe your linked toon is a fine example of

cherry

jelly bean picking!

no, wait... is the toon highlighting the disproportionate media frenzy... perhaps the failure of the lamestream media to report science properly? Is that it?

no, wait... is the toon showcasing the

Multiple Comparisons Fallacy

. Oh look, my reference link even draws an origination tie to the science of epidemiology... why that even parallels the OP link's Nature Journal opinion piece's emphasis, hey?

don't forget... the elephant in the room! (Try to) apply your toon... there, with real-world legitimate practical examples. Let's have some real fun, hey?

[GostHacked]

http://www.cracked.com/article_19468_5-logical-fallacies-that-make-you-wrong-more-than-you-think.html

#5. We're Not Programmed to Seek "Truth," We're Programmed to "Win"

#4. Our Brains Don't Understand Probability

#3. We Think Everyone's Out to Get Us

#2. We're Hard-Wired to Have a Double Standard

#1. Facts Don't Change Our Minds

Much of this is social conditioning through various means. How you were raised, what environment you grew up in, though process based on past experiences.

5 - There is a reason you are programmed to win. Sports fan? Are you competitive? The school system teaches competitiveness. If you don't win, you are a loser. No one wants to be a loser. However, in many cases there really is no game to win.

4 - Our brains are capable of understanding probability. If I do A, probability that B will happen. What people get confused on is the difference between possibility and probability.

3 - In a competitive world where you are conditioned to WIN. Then everyone is your opponent and they are out to get you. This is the social structure we live in.

2 - We are not hard wired for double standards. That is social conditioning. People do not inherently get double standards. It is learned through many social constructs. Like dad always says 'Do as I say, not as I do'.

1 - If the facts don't change minds, then either the facts are bunk, or the person does not understand the fact in question. We have leaders telling us what facts are facts, and what are not. So the facts also depend on how reliable that specific source is. I can tell you a lie over and over again, eventually you will be able to see it as fact. But that might be a sign of a weak mind.A lie is a lie even if everyone believes it. A fact is a fact, even if no one believes it. But again, I will go back to all of this really being social conditioning.

If facts never changed minds, we would not be as advanced as we are today.

The world is round ....

[Canuckistani]

Much of this is social conditioning through various means. How you were raised, what environment you grew up in, though process based on past experiences.

5 - There is a reason you are programmed to win. Sports fan? Are you competitive? The school system teaches competitiveness. If you don't win, you are a loser. No one wants to be a loser. However, in many cases there really is no game to win.

4 - Our brains are capable of understanding probability. If I do A, probability that B will happen. What people get confused on is the difference between possibility and probability.

3 - In a competitive world where you are conditioned to WIN. Then everyone is your opponent and they are out to get you. This is the social structure we live in.

2 - We are not hard wired for double standards. That is social conditioning. People do not inherently get double standards. It is learned through many social constructs. Like dad always says 'Do as I say, not as I do'.

1 - If the facts don't change minds, then either the facts are bunk, or the person does not understand the fact in question. We have leaders telling us what facts are facts, and what are not. So the facts also depend on how reliable that specific source is. I can tell you a lie over and over again, eventually you will be able to see it as fact. But that might be a sign of a weak mind.A lie is a lie even if everyone believes it. A fact is a fact, even if no one believes it. But again, I will go back to all of this really being social conditioning.

If facts never changed minds, we would not be as advanced as we are today.

The world is round ....

5 - We are hardwired to win. As in survive. And we get very sad and sick if we continually lose - if we haven't already been eaten.

4 - Lotteries

3 - even more co-operative societies had winners and losers. The winners were better at co-operation and got status that way. Doubt there's ever been a society that didn't have a status hierarchy and mating based on it.

2 - I think we are hardwired for double standards - as in we don't apply the same standards to ourselves as others - we are the center of the universe, after all. Takes a lot of work to overcome that.

1 - I think you have some good points here. Facts are often very slippery.

[TimG]

4 - Our brains are capable of understanding probability. If I do A, probability that B will happen. What people get confused on is the difference between possibility and probability.

Your statement demonstrates the fallacy that the article highlights. The probability is a measure of the liklyhood of an outcome. Our minds are not able to separate low liklyhood possibilities from high liklyhood possibilities and we make bad decisions as a result.

A fact is a fact, even if no one believes it.

If a fact is really a fact then it cannot be disputed. The reality is most so called 'facts' are actually opinions/interpretations of facts which make the source extremely important. Edited July 11, 2012 by TimG

[kimmy]

When I was a kid Cracked magazine sucked. It was like a 10th rate imitation of Mad magazine. Yet lately I have read some really good stuff on Cracked.

-k

[bleeding heart]

When I was a kid Cracked magazine sucked. It was like a 10th rate imitation of Mad magazine. Yet lately I have read some really good stuff on Cracked.

-k

Maybe I'll check it out. Because yes, I remember the disparity in quality...I was a huge MAD fan...and I couldn't have been bothered with Cracked even at age ten.