Critical Rules

One of my 'friends' posted some conspiracy theory nonsense on Facebook yesterday from an organisation called Truth in Europe, which is nothing to do with Truth and is run by a notorious conspiracy theorist and anti-vaxxer who believes all manner of stupid stuff. These people prey on the weak minded who cannot think for themselves.

Some guidelines for critical thinking, which is sorely lacking in much of the population these days:

1. All beliefs in whatever realm are theories at some level. (Stephen Schneider).
2. Do not condemn the judgement of another because it differs from your own. You may both be wrong. (Dandemis).
3. Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider. (Francis Bacon).
4. Never fall in love with your hypothesis. (Peter Medawar).
5. It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories instead of theories to suit facts. (Arthur Conan Doyle).
6. A theory should not attempt to explain all the facts, because some of the facts are wrong. (Francis Crick).
7. The thing that doesn’t fit is the thing that is most interesting. (Richard Feynman).
8. To kill an error is as good a service as, and sometimes even better than, the establishing of a new truth or fact. (Charles Darwin).
9. It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so. (Mark Twain).
10. Ignorance is preferable to error; and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing, than he who believes what is wrong. (Thomas Jefferson).
11. All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed, second, it is violently opposed, and third, it is accepted as self-evident. (Arthur Schopenhauer).

Do you think Bob Mugabe would be interested in the job of UK PM?

We were watching Star Wars Episode II last night. Senator Amidala left Jar-Jar Binks in charge of some crucial votes when she had to go back home to Naboo. It's like Mrs May leaving Boris Johnson with the reins of government.