Certainty as a Substitute for Truth

Deductive rigidity refers to the strict application of fixed premises to reach conclusions, often stifling inquiry by treating those premises as unchallengeable, leading to inflexible and potentially flawed outcomes. In contrast, abductive reasoning offers flexibility by inferring the best explanation from observed facts, adapting to new evidence and context to align further with truth. The maxim “You can be dead sure and dead wrong” exposes a fundamental flaw in human cognition: the tendency to […] Read more »

Inner Character and Good Faith Conversations

Holding a conversation in good faith, which is a conversation that places the truth above one’s desire to win and be right, requires at least five (of the eight) intellectual character traits developed within the individual: intellectual humility, because an awareness of one’s limitations is necessary to engage free from the Dunning-Kruger Effect. Arrogant people assume to know way more than they actually do, whereas humble people are keenly aware […] Read more »