SSH 105 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Confirmation Bias, Fallibilism
28 Jun 2018
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SSH105
Lecture 3
How can we check that our whole system of beliefs corresponds to facts
- We are trapped within our sense: we can never stand outside of ourselves to view the
world objectively- have to step out of frame of belief
Belief
When you consider any proposition, you have exactly three options:
1. Believe it
2. Disbelieve it
3. Suspend judgement
- And these options are mutually exclusive
Other terms often used for believes: thinks, feels, holds, contends, claims, maintains etc.
Belief and disbelief come in varying degrees of strength
We are not using the term belief to refer to:
1. Particularly important personal thought/feelings/attitudes
2. Controversial claims which cannot be known “that’s just your belief”
Justification
Evidence: information pertaining to the truth or falsity of a proposition
Principle of rational/justified/reasonable belief
a. If a person’s evidence concerning a proposition supports that proposition, it’s rational to
believe it
b. If a person’s evidence goes against the proposition, it’s rational to disbelieve it
c. If a person’s evidence is neutral, then it is rational to suspend judgement
Strength of evidence
Principle of proportional belief:
- It is rational to proportion the strength of one’s belief to the strength of one’s evidence
- Believe things with same degree of confidence as evidence
Fallibilism
- The view that a belief can be r/j/r even though it is false
- Kids believe Santa is real and are r/j/r to believe it
- One can be r/j/r to believe something even if one’s evidence is not completely conclusive
Differences in evidence
1. Two people may have different evidence available to them (about some proposition) and
so it may lead them to different r/j/r conclusions (two detectives)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
How can we check that our whole system of beliefs corresponds to facts. We are trapped within our sense: we can never stand outside of ourselves to view the world objectively- have to step out of frame of belief. When you consider any proposition, you have exactly three options: believe it, disbelieve it, suspend judgement. Other terms often used for believes: thinks, feels, holds, contends, claims, maintains etc. Belief and disbelief come in varying degrees of strength. We are not using the term belief to refer to: particularly important personal thought/feelings/attitudes, controversial claims which cannot be known that"s just your belief . Evidence: information pertaining to the truth or falsity of a proposition. If a person"s evidence concerning a proposition supports that proposition, it"s rational to believe it. If a person"s evidence goes against the proposition, it"s rational to disbelieve it. If a person"s evidence is neutral, then it is rational to suspend judgement.
