Critical Thinking

Someone asked me how we can know if something we see on the internet is true.
This is just some notes I threw together. It starts with deciding how much effort you want to put in to it, then figuring out if there are expert opinions you can rely on.

I’ve gathered facts and I’ve determined that I have most of the information available on this topic.

                Great, you’re done.

I have some information, but I don’t have all of it. Acquiring more data would require months or years of study.

                Decide if you want to do that study. Or, use the listed items below.

The issue may not be settled. The people who are the best minds on this issue do not agree. They might even say they don’t know enough to make a judgment. Or it is settled, but you just don't have all the information yet. You can become an expert or you can rely on experts:

1)     How do you know who the experts are?

a.       Degrees from accredited institutions

b.      Honors, awards

c.       Appearances to the public, intended to help the uneducated understand the issue

d.      Participation in setting public policies that can be evaluated

e.      Publications that provide real world, understandable examples and illustrations

f.        Historical precedence

2)      When those experts disagree, do they do it respectfully, or are they claiming bad motivations or hidden agendas?

a.       Do both sides have a body of evidence they refer to, or does one concentrate mostly on pointing the flaws in the other?

b.      Can you at least follow a logical flow to the arguments?

c.       Are the two sides willing to debate?
d.   If there is an article or book, check for response articles, redactions and retraction.
e.   If refuted, did the original author respond, either with more facts, or did they admit they were wrong in light of the new data? 

3)      Can you identify any other facts behind those motivations or agendas?

a.       Are they pointing to anything written or recorded, can you verify their data?

b.      Are they using words like “some” or “always” or “stupid” or “commie”?

In the best case, you have a friend or acquaintance in the field in question. Someone you can trust to clarify anything specific.

Second best is to attend a public lecture and ask your question face to face. Sometimes you can find very intimate settings for these types of discussions. For example, a farmer might be willing to show you their operations, a lab worker might take you on a tour, or someone good with numbers could show you where to find data and how to interpret it.