Does the refusal to examine both sides of an issue equal ignorance? As long as you understand there is another side, does that mean you are enlightened, though biased? If I want to let Al Gore and Co. lead me by the nose ring through the global warming debate because I'm too lazy to peruse voluminous data, am I stupid, ignorant or bias? What if I let Falwell convince me that the "science" of creationism should be taught to my kids in school, though I'm aware of the existence of Darwinism but not interested in examining its merits, or whether creationism can even be classified as science?
Is the American public in general, as stupid as I suspect they are?
Please weigh in...I need to know what you think!
JD.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Two Questions (maybe three)
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2 comments:
The American public may or may not be stupid, but they certainly seem lazy. Most people won't take the time to consider the exploration of facts or evidence outside their own little microcosm of experience, preconceived notions or thought processes most beneficial to their personal/professional existence.
The difficulty lies in each person's different definition of what constitutes an adequate exploration of evidence from the other side of an argument. (I would say that this is arguably where any chance of compromise among conflicting viewpoints stops in its tracks).
For example, if I were to provide absolutely amazing, compelling evidence that the giant fireball with 350,000 times our mass that burns brightly in our sky is really to blame for minute changes in the temperature of our tiny orb, Al Gore would not likely to consider for even a moment that fossil fuel consumption is not to blame.
Nor could I convince Mr. Falwell that the "science" of Creationism is not science at all (if I felt the need to convince him of such). He would flatly deny that any explaination that is inconsistent with his religious beliefs has any merit whatsoever.
Gotta go, more important things to attend to: American Idol, my newest combination camera phone/MP3 player/riding mower and my online Feng Shui consultation business.
John, I want you to tell me what you think about how the media is protraying all of these school killers as victims because they were picked on all their lives.
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