Discernment: Authority, The Scientific Method, and Good Judgement

Evident from this platform alone, one can find a torrent of knowledge, wisdom, and insight all over the world wide web — written by every kind of person imaginable. Some of it echoes previous knowledge; some combines, compares, contrasts, and refines it into something cogent. But it cannot be overstated that the sheer volume of information, tutorials, and how-tos on the internet and social media is too much. Far too much.

Everyone acts like an expert on everything. Everyone speaks with authority — telling you what you should do and what you shouldn't, what books to read, which people to associate with, which food to eat, which exercise actually works. And what's amusing is that a lot of this information is in direct contradiction with the rest of it. Nobody seems to agree on a unanimous Truth.

This is why media literacy, information literacy, and discernment matter. Even here — whilst you read this paragraph — bear in mind that this too is one piece among many, and you'll need a certain skill to filter information for Truth.

Authority

A handy shortcut to sidestep the hard work of discernment is deferring to authority. People with fancy certificates, proof of ability, experience, and a glowing portfolio are generally trusted to be arbiters of Truth. But it's worth noting that almost everyone holds some level of authority, and it's essential to understand what someone actually knows before drawing on them as a source. Certificates have also become increasingly common — and some are worth more than others. So whilst deferring to authority is useful, discernment is still required. There's nothing wrong with doing your own research if something doesn't sit right with you, regardless of who said it.

The Scientific Method

This is the process by which science is carried out. What is science? Science is the systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the physical and natural world through observation, experimentation, and the testing of theories against evidence. They say experience is the best teacher — and there's no better way to understand how something works than to simply observe it. If someone tells you that objects don't fall when left unsupported in the air, you can test that yourself.

To grossly simplify: 1. You form a theory. 2. You set up the environment to test it. 3. You experiment. 4. You draw a conclusion. Now you have a model.

This is what "thinking for yourself" actually looks like — because there is no greater authority than what is right in front of you. And most of what I write here is the direct result of what I've experienced and perceived.

Good Judgement

More often than not, people — and sometimes things — don't behave consistently. They deviate from our models and expectations. This is when good judgement is called for. Good judgement is more of a muscle than a skill: the ability to read the nuances of a situation and roughly anticipate how things will unfold depending on which path you take. When opinions and knowledge clash, you need good judgement to rule out the noise and land on something nearest to Truth. This is the hardest part, of course — because neither authority nor the scientific method can be fully trusted in these moments. But the more you exercise it, the sharper it gets.

What do you think? Does any of this sound like the Truth?