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“What constitutes Facts and Evidence?”
Topic by Michelle Edmunds (with additional information by R. Dowsett)
Questions:
What ways of knowing (see below) do you use primarily? Which do you consider to be valid?
What standards of evidence do you require for yourself? Are the standards different when you share information?
Is there a crisis currently in the sharing of “facts” with poor standards of evidence (see below)? What are the impacts?
How will AI affect the information landscape?
Have we, as a society, lost interest in the idea of objective truth? Is the saying “Every man has a right to his opinion, but no man has a right to be wrong in his facts.” — Bernard Baruch, still seen as true?
Resources:
Facts and evidence are fundamental concepts in reasoning, argumentation, and the pursuit of knowledge. Though related, they serve distinct roles in constructing and validating claims.
Facts: A fact is a statement that can be objectively verified as true or false. It is something that has occurred or exists in reality.
Facts are:
Objective: Facts are independent of individual opinions or beliefs.
Verifiable: Facts can be proven through observation, measurement, or reliable sources.
Consistent: Facts remain true regardless of who observes them, under the same conditions.
Example: "The Earth orbits the Sun."
Evidence: Evidence is information or data that supports or refutes a claim, hypothesis, or belief. It is used to establish the truth or validity of something.
Evidence:
Supports Claims: Evidence is used to substantiate facts or arguments.
Has Varied Forms: Evidence can take many forms, including:
Physical Evidence: Tangible objects or materials.
Documentary Evidence: Written or recorded materials.
Testimonial Evidence: Statements or testimonies from witnesses or experts.
Statistical Evidence: Data or numbers that demonstrate patterns or trends.
Is Reliable: The credibility of evidence depends on its source, accuracy, and relevance to the claim.
Relationship Between Facts and Evidence
Facts often require evidence to be established as true. Conversely, evidence is gathered to support the assertion of facts. In scientific research, facts are established through experiments that produce evidence. In legal contexts, evidence is presented to determine the facts of a case.
Ways of Knowing
Humans rely on various ways of knowing to acquire knowledge, understand the world, and make decisions. These ways of knowing are foundational to disciplines such as philosophy, science, and education. Here are the primary ways of knowing:
1. Perception (Sense Experience): Knowledge gained through the five senses—sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. Subject to limitations and biases (e.g., optical illusions).
2. Reason (Logic and Rationality): Involves critical thinking and the application of logical principles.
3. Emotion: Knowledge gained through feelings, emotions, and subjective experiences. Often informs moral and ethical decisions. Can be both a strength and a limitation in knowing.
4. Intuition: Knowledge gained through a "gut feeling" or an immediate understanding without conscious reasoning.Often based on subconscious processing of information. Can be quick and efficient but sometimes unreliable.
5. Memory: Knowledge based on the recall of past experiences and information. Essential for learning and applying past knowledge to current situations. Subject to distortion and forgetting.
6. Faith: Knowledge gained through belief in something without empirical evidence, often in a religious or spiritual context.Provides a sense of certainty or truth beyond the physical world. Highly personal and culturally influenced.
7. Imagination: Knowledge created through the ability to form mental images, concepts, or scenarios that are not immediately present to the senses.Drives creativity, innovation, and problem-solving. Can lead to new insights and hypothetical reasoning.
8. Testimony (Authority): Knowledge gained through the word of others, especially experts, authorities, or reliable sources. Relies on trust in the credibility and expertise of others. Common in education and areas where personal expertise is limited.
Integration of Ways of Knowing
Complex Knowledge: Often involves integrating multiple ways of knowing. For instance, scientific knowledge combines perception (experiments), reason (analysis), and language (communication).
Critical Evaluation: Different ways of knowing have their strengths and limitations, and critical thinking often involves evaluating which way of knowing is most appropriate in a given context.
These ways of knowing provide diverse perspectives and methods for understanding the world, and they are often used in combination to build a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of reality.
Sharing information without evidence can be problematic for several reasons:
1. Credibility:
Erosion of Trust: When information is shared without evidence, it can undermine the credibility of the person or source sharing it. Over time, people may become skeptical of their statements, even if they are later backed by evidence.
Misinformation: Without evidence, there's a higher chance that the information could be false or misleading. This can contribute to the spread of misinformation, which can have serious consequences in various contexts, such as public health, politics, and social issues.
2. Persuasion:
Weak Arguments: Arguments or claims without evidence are generally less persuasive. People are more likely to be convinced by information that is supported by data, research, or other forms of proof.
Logical Fallacies: Sharing information without evidence can lead to logical fallacies, such as appeals to emotion or authority, where the argument relies on something other than factual evidence to make its point.
3. Ethical Considerations:
Responsibility: There is an ethical responsibility to ensure that the information shared is accurate and reliable. Spreading unverified information can lead to harm, whether through causing unnecessary fear, fostering misunderstanding, or influencing decisions based on incorrect data.
Accountability: Without evidence, it becomes difficult to hold people accountable for the information they share. This can lead to a lack of responsibility for the consequences of spreading false or misleading information.
4. Impact on Decision-Making:
Poor Decisions: Inaccurate or unverified information can lead to poor decision-making, whether in personal, professional, or public contexts. Decisions based on solid evidence are generally more sound and less likely to lead to negative outcomes.
Public Policy: In the context of public policy, decisions made without evidence can lead to ineffective or even harmful policies. Evidence-based policymaking is crucial for ensuring that policies address the issues they are intended to solve in a meaningful way.
5. Scientific and Academic Standards:
Rigorous Standards: In science and academia, the standard for sharing information is that it must be supported by evidence. This ensures that knowledge is built on a solid foundation and can be trusted.
Peer Review: In many academic fields, evidence is reviewed by peers before being accepted. This process helps ensure that the information is accurate and reliable.
Sharing information without evidence can diminish the quality and reliability of communication, leading to potential harm and undermining trust. It's important to critically evaluate and provide evidence to support claims whenever possible.