Dear friends,
It seems to me, the fallacy the progressive faction falls for is, the fallacy of popularity and its opposite, the fallacy of unpopularity. Both are a form of the appeal to authority fallacy. While conservative factions tend to rely too much on the fallacy of common knowledge. If a popular person says anything… the progressive faction follows in lockstep. If however an unpopular person says something, it’s to be considered a lie, no matter how provable. That’s why democrats dwell so much on persons and so little on policy. Meanwhile, republicans follow common knowledge, like a dog does a scent trail. The problem with appeal to authority, popularity and common knowledge is, they’re often wrong. While discourse, investigation and attempts to falsify lead to real knowledge and truths.
Appeal to authority and it’s siblings, appeal to popularity and the dismissing of the unpopular, are fallacies in that they usually lead to wrong conclusions. If Goebbels came in from outside, soaking wet and said, “It’s raining out there.” Would you disbelieve him because he was the Nazi propaganda minister? Maybe, but one thing we know, if it was Trump, democrats would ridicule him for it. Climate change is based entirely on appeal to authority. Despite the IPCC email scandal, proving the IPCC is a propaganda outfit, progressives are all in. Because they believe their beloved authorities who claim climate change is man made. They’re the authority, and we like them… so they must be right. Sadly, they’re not right, experts are wrong more often than not. Making mindless belief a fools errand.
Appeal to common knowledge is also a fallacy in that it often leads to wrong conclusions. In fact, this is one of Francis Bacon’s Idols. He called appeal to common knowledge the Idol of the marketplace. While he apparently meant, the misuse of language that leads to misunderstanding, I mean it to be our common lack of omniscience. Because we don’t know everything, even as a species, let alone a community, or person. At one time it was common knowledge that leeches cured disease. While appeal to common knowledge can’t be malicious, manipulative, or egotistical like appeal to authority, it can lead to wrong conclusions. Because what passes for common knowledge today will probably be considered foolishness tomorrow. Since our understanding changes over time.
These fallacies have in common that they are a lazy man’s way of thinking. Common knowledge is common and so must be right… right? If someone is popular and has authority, they must be wicked smart… right? In both cases… wrong. No one or group of people is omniscient. Some may think they are, but those people have fallen into their own Bernay’s trap. There’s no shortcut to understanding and knowledge. School and education is only a starting place. Since so much of what I was taught back in the 1970’s is now discredited. How much more so the things taught in the 1920’s? Moreover, in a century, much of what we take for granted today, will be thought childish. Instead of strolling down a well trod trail, that leads to error, it behooves us to cut trail, to the truth.
An idea based on a fallacy is a fine place to start an investigation… to see if there’s merit. Talk about it with an eye to understanding the idea. Finally, seek to falsify it. If an idea passes all these tests, it’s probably true on some level. Then, hone the idea until it has an edge, and use it to cut to other truths. When we use mind crutches we do ourselves and the future a disservice. Because we act on poor data leading to poor outcomes. This is one reason progressives fail to see their failures and conservatives fail at change. Both factions base their aim on wrong information leading them to miss their target. So, instead of basing one’s opinion on an authority who probably has an agenda, or common knowledge that’ll change in a few years, let’s think, talk and experiment… to find real truth.
Sincerely,
John Pepin
