How Our Opinions Lead Us to Deny Scientific Fact
by: Oliver Laczko
In an age filled with technology and scientific advancement, it can be overwhelming to have so much information coming at us all at once — especially if that information contradicts our opinions and what we believe as morally correct. That is why it is so important to have a conversation about this issue and to further understand how we can distinguish fact from fiction, understand why we disregard scientific fact, find a solution to how we can insert facts back into our conversations, get to know how the scientists chase out personal bias from their research, and finally I will tell you how you can solve false narratives.
In a world where it is so easy to advance our narrative through the internet or social media platforms, often times we may find ourselves creating false facts or believing false narratives that support our point of view. In his 2015 Washington Post article, Joel Archenbach tells us how, “Even when we intellectually accept these precepts of science, we subconsciously cling to our intuitions. (“Why Science is so Hard to Believe”)”
We know now that our conscience clings onto our intuitions, guarding our mind from facts that juxtapose with our opinions, but why do we disregard facts in the first place? Archenbach continues saying, “Most of us rely on personal experience and anecdotes, on stories rather than statistics. (“Why Science is so Hard to Believe”)” When I read this an individual came to my mind — Steve Jobs. In October of 2003, it was discovered that Jobs had Pancreatic Cancer. According to the book Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, however, Jobs didn’t have the tumor removed. Instead, “He kept to a strict vegan diet, with large quantities of fresh carrot and fruit juices. To that regimen he added acupuncture, a variety of herbal remedies, and occasionally a few other treatments he found on the internet or by consulting people around the country. (Steve Jobs)” The tumor still continued to grow, but at that point the damage had already been done — he died after a long battle with cancer in October of 2011. We have become obsessed with creating false narratives that align with our beliefs, and we allow them to manifest so greatly that to others it may become trusted personal experience. We need to bring the facts back into the vernacular.
We know how false facts can mislead us because of their appeal to our personal opinions and beliefs, but how can stray away from this common habit? According to an article by Steve Rathje in Psychology Today, “Making people feel more secure in their individual identity may make people more open to accepting information they would otherwise reject. (“Why People Ignore Facts”)” Rathje continues saying,“Some evidence suggests that self-affirmation exercises, which allow people to reflect on values that are meaningful to their identity, make them more willing to accept information that goes against their political identities. (“Why People Ignore Facts”)” Essentially, find a part of your life that may be impacted by a fact and apply it to your real-life situation.
We’ve identified how we can personally take facts that may contradict our belief system and found ways to make them palatable, but how do scientists deal with their own bias? According to Joel Achenbach, “Scientists, too, are vulnerable to confirmation bias — the tendency to look for and see only evidence that confirms what they already believe. (““Why Science is so Hard to Believe”)” He goes on to say how scientists submit their research to other scientists for peer review before publishing. Once published, scientists will reproduce this information and apply to other means experimentation, and if proven incorrect so be it. And trust me, being a science research student myself, I am more than happy if someone proves me wrong and suggests an answer to my error. This can be seen in no other example however, than the false notion that vaccines cause autism. It all started when a prestigious British medical journal published a study in 1998 linking a common vaccine to autism. While the journal later retracted the study and the research was thoroughly discredited, the notion of a vaccine-autism connection is still being endorsed today. And as we’ve seen recently, with the Measles outbreak in California, false facts from more than a decade ago are still having an effect on today’s world.
By now I think you get the gist of what I’m saying, but how can you help restore the factitude of our world? According to the Scientific American, they have an answer. According to Troy Campbell and Justin Friesen in 2015, “With the disease of bias, then, societal immunity is better achieved when we encourage people to accept ambiguity, engage in critical thinking and reject strict ideology.(“Why People ‘Fly From Facts’”)” Essentially the idea is to become less of an ideological society and transition into a more fact-based society.
Today we learned about the influence of false facts and personal bias and how it can shape how we view the world and others around us. We learned how personal bias can lead to detrimental consequences for our health and the health of others around us. However, we also learned how to resist personal bias and more fluently insert facts into our conversations that spark productivity and understanding with those we may disagree with. So whether you’re debating someone on a polarizing issue, or you’re reviewing someone’s literary work or scientific research, look at that person, or look at that literature with a common high ground of understanding and without bias — for the sake of a better world.
