Conspiracy theories abound. What should you believe − and how can you tell?
Would technologies like the airplane ever get off the ground without people balancing commitment to their vision with openness to new ideas?
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An intellectually humble person may have strong commitments to various beliefs − but balanced with an openness to the likelihood that others, too, may have valuable insights, ideas and evidence.
Emotions can get in the way of knowing what’s true.
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To communicate scientific findings that are relevant to the public, science communicators need to understand how to overcome attitudes that are anti-science.
Empathy is needed to understand and combat science skepticism.
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Instead of assuming that science skeptics are motivated by ignorance, or selfishness, we should listen to them and try to understand and address their actual concerns.
A churchgoer’s thoughts on climate change may not have much to do with Christian teaching.
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Few white evangelicals in the U.S. say they believe in human-made climate change. This strand of science denial seems to have as much to do with conservative politics as the Bible’s teachings.
He’s calling – but will you answer?
Russian Presidential Executive Office
The Mueller report reveals that some U.S. citizens helped Russian government agents organize real-life events, aiding Russia’s propaganda campaign. Don’t be like them.
If you’re convinced Nessie’s real, would science unconvince you?
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If you’re committed to a belief, it’s hard to let go. Psychology and philosophy provide different ways to think about how skeptics respond to counterevidence.
Little kids have a tendency to look on the bright side.
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Human beings seem to be born wearing rose-colored glasses. Psychologists are interested in how this bias toward the positive works in the very young – and how it fades over time.
Parents go to great lengths to make their kids believe the Santa myth.
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The world around you might be an illusion and you’re really a brain in a vat connected to a supercomputer. Sounds preposterous? But can you prove it’s not true?