Matters of Fact Part 1: Addressing fact and fallacy
Originally posted on Medium, 3/22/2017
In this series of columns, I will be taking on the false ‘fact’ that is endemic among political discussion and news reports, and helping readers to discern which sources of news are reputable, and which should be disregarded.
I am attempting to make this as nonpartisan as possible, because false information exists on all points on the sociopolitical spectrum. I’m interested solely in giving people the tools to assess the information we receive in a critical and analytical manner. I hope to keep it from being too dry or academic in tone — I prefer to make these pieces very simple and straightforward so that everyone can benefit. However, for transparency, I will note that this series is substantiated opinion, and should be treated as such.
I’ll begin with very simple ideas that apply to every part of analysis: recognizing fact and employing critical thinking. I’ll go on to examine sourcing, bias, the use of language, and skepticism, among other subjects.
Part 2: The Fact Is... — Discerning provable fact from nonsense is crucial. This part will be briefly addressing the way to discern all of the types of information we receive and understanding whether they are pure fact, or something else.
Part 3: Put that Big Brain to Work — This will offer an accessible way to look at information and discern whether it is factual. The first line of critical analysis begins here by teaching how to ask questions, how to seek veracity, and what aspects of a fact should make you doubt and question its truth.
Part 4: Developing a BS Detector — Every story has a series of aspects, and this piece addresses the questions you should ask to get a clear picture of what is being presented.
Part 5: News, Not Noise — Recognizing the difference in form and content of actual news versus opinion allows the reader to know what is fact. I’ll take on knowing how to discern the P word: propaganda, and how to recognize and disentangle bias.
Part 6: Watch Your Language (And Everyone Else’s, Too) — The words you use change or reinforce what you say. I’ll take on the issue of how buzzwords, descriptive terms, and presentation all affect how you absorb facts.
Part 7: What’s Your Source? — In this section, I’ll be touching on how to recognize a reputable or factual source among the innumerable places that provide information of varying validity. Reputable sources should be cherished, but they are also conditional.
Part 8: Be a Scully — Learning to debunk ‘alternative facts’ and look into falsehoods to find the truth hidden beneath. It will begin the process of introducing how to source data for truth, including the questions, ‘What do I trust?’ and ‘What constitutes proof?’
Part 9: Why is the Media So Darn Partisan? — Is ‘news analysis’ actual news, opinion, or something in between? The days of nonpartisan media are largely behind us. Includes historical notes on the Fairness Doctrine, and why we need it reinstated.
Part 10: Freedom of Speech (Just Watch What You Say) — We are granted the freedom of speech — within reason. Libel and slander laws exist to ensure that the power of the press is not unchecked when it comes to falsehoods against citizens. How far First Amendment rights stretch is limited by what is being said, and its truth.
More may come in time after these parts are completed, and this introduction will be updated as new essays are added or modified; each will have annotations if it is edited in any way after publication. I may choose to expand on these essays later, or add more, or correct them.
📡 Another Planet's Hell
In this series of columns, I will be taking on the false ‘fact’ that is endemic among political discussion and news reports, and helping readers to discern which sources of news are reputable, and which should be disregarded.
I am attempting to make this as nonpartisan as possible, because false information exists on all points on the sociopolitical spectrum. I’m interested solely in giving people the tools to assess the information we receive in a critical and analytical manner. I hope to keep it from being too dry or academic in tone — I prefer to make these pieces very simple and straightforward so that everyone can benefit. However, for transparency, I will note that this series is substantiated opinion, and should be treated as such.
I’ll begin with very simple ideas that apply to every part of analysis: recognizing fact and employing critical thinking. I’ll go on to examine sourcing, bias, the use of language, and skepticism, among other subjects.
Part 2: The Fact Is... — Discerning provable fact from nonsense is crucial. This part will be briefly addressing the way to discern all of the types of information we receive and understanding whether they are pure fact, or something else.
Part 3: Put that Big Brain to Work — This will offer an accessible way to look at information and discern whether it is factual. The first line of critical analysis begins here by teaching how to ask questions, how to seek veracity, and what aspects of a fact should make you doubt and question its truth.
Part 4: Developing a BS Detector — Every story has a series of aspects, and this piece addresses the questions you should ask to get a clear picture of what is being presented.
Part 5: News, Not Noise — Recognizing the difference in form and content of actual news versus opinion allows the reader to know what is fact. I’ll take on knowing how to discern the P word: propaganda, and how to recognize and disentangle bias.
Part 6: Watch Your Language (And Everyone Else’s, Too) — The words you use change or reinforce what you say. I’ll take on the issue of how buzzwords, descriptive terms, and presentation all affect how you absorb facts.
Part 7: What’s Your Source? — In this section, I’ll be touching on how to recognize a reputable or factual source among the innumerable places that provide information of varying validity. Reputable sources should be cherished, but they are also conditional.
Part 8: Be a Scully — Learning to debunk ‘alternative facts’ and look into falsehoods to find the truth hidden beneath. It will begin the process of introducing how to source data for truth, including the questions, ‘What do I trust?’ and ‘What constitutes proof?’
Part 9: Why is the Media So Darn Partisan? — Is ‘news analysis’ actual news, opinion, or something in between? The days of nonpartisan media are largely behind us. Includes historical notes on the Fairness Doctrine, and why we need it reinstated.
Part 10: Freedom of Speech (Just Watch What You Say) — We are granted the freedom of speech — within reason. Libel and slander laws exist to ensure that the power of the press is not unchecked when it comes to falsehoods against citizens. How far First Amendment rights stretch is limited by what is being said, and its truth.
More may come in time after these parts are completed, and this introduction will be updated as new essays are added or modified; each will have annotations if it is edited in any way after publication. I may choose to expand on these essays later, or add more, or correct them.
📡 Another Planet's Hell
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