Research suggests people intuitively draw a distinction between what is known and what is believed. Recognizing the difference can help in ideological disagreements.
Articles on Facts
Displaying 21 - 36 of 36 articles
When I was little, geologists worked out Earth’s surface was made of pieces, like a giant puzzle. Those pieces, called “tectonic plates”, move and bump into each other and mountains form.
A video aimed at presenting the facts about Brexit repeats some of the same mistakes Remain supporters made before the 2016 referendum.
Food safety issues are at heart political.
The bullshitter may do even more damage than the liar in politics.
Cognitive psychologists know the way our minds work means we not only don’t notice errors and misinformation we know are wrong, we also then remember them as true.
Reading something that sows doubt about a widely agreed-upon fact – even the election of George Washington as president – can have a profound effect.
Dealing with a co-worker or manager who says demonstrably false things can be a challenge, particularly at holiday office parties. Here’s a guide to handle a colleague in denial.
The myth of the lone genius, hero scientist is dangerous for science and society. Here’s how to fix it.
As Orwell knew only too well, if the concept of objective truth is moved into the dustbin of history there can be no lies. And if there are no lies there can be no justice, no rights and no wrongs.
Will the arrival and popularity of Oculus Go and other VR systems make us think differently about alternative realities and so-called alternative facts?
Intuition is just one of many factors that shape what you believe.
Reports of facts’ death have been greatly exaggerated. Effective communication jettisons the false dilemma in favor of a more holistic view of how people take in new information on contentious topics.
Beneath simple labels like post-truth, alternative facts and fake news is a complex set of issues. Any debate about the problems needs to start from some common points of reference.
When it comes to facts versus opinions, just remember that not all facts have been true, and not all opinions should be dismissed either.
Alternate realities don’t just exist in politics – and not all falsehoods are lies. Distortions of the truth can range from a normal part of human nature to pathological.
Top contributors
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Professor of Philosophy, Wake Forest University
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Associate Professor of Psychology, Vanderbilt University
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Professor and Chair of Linguistics, University of Sydney
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Senior Lecturer in Philosophy and Education; Curriculum Director, UQ Critical Thinking Project, The University of Queensland
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Professor of Social Psychology in Society, University of Cambridge
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Professor of Astroparticle Physics, Queen's University, Ontario
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Professor of Communication & Director of the School of Communication, The Ohio State University
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Visiting Research Fellow in Philosophy, University of Hertfordshire
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Assistant Professor of History of Behavioral Science, The Ohio State University
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Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry, Lecturer on Bioethics & Humanities at SUNY Upstate Medical University; and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Tufts University School of Medicine; Editor-in-Chief Emeritus, Psychiatric Times., Tufts University
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Senior Research Fellow, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne
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Professor of English, University of Minnesota
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Associate Professor of Journalism, American University
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Associate Professor of Law, University of Dayton
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Professor of Philosophy, Public Policy and Governance, University of Washington