Exploratory Essay

858 Words2 Pages

Today, our generation is often oblivious to the amount of information that crosses our paths each day. Thanks to many sources such as the internet, media, books, and articles, we are able to virtually obtain data and research with very little effort. Yet, because we are constantly being inundated with vast amounts of information by relying on it as our most valuable commodity, we are unaware that our provision to this information is negatively affecting our abilities to process and come to conclusions relating to certain topics. While all this information is being presented to us from different directions, we often forget to ask ourselves how we know that this particular information we are obtaining is accurate. In order to determine the …show more content…

When an individual has their own selective perception on a topic, they often have “opposing views on the same subject, caused by what the person wants to see or understand.” (Class notes). Living in a post-fact society, we may be given facts, yet choose to believe what we want to believe. In this sense, people are blatantly ignoring scientific evidence in order to prove that their own perception of what is right and what they want to believe is the “truth.” This form of perception may also demonstrate biased assimilation, in which “people tend to interpret and understand new information in a way that accords with their own views” (True enough 150). However, although we allow ourselves to choose what we want to believe based on the “facts” presented, we are still unsure of whether these facts are …show more content…

We are seeking scientific evidence and hardcore facts. In order for the information we are consuming to be accurate, is necessary for the source of information to be reliable and relevant. This information must also be verifiable. For example, websites such as Wikipedia may not be the best source to obtain your data considering any individual is given the opportunity to adjust and edit the information displayed. In this case, the only precise way to verify information is to trace that information back to the primary evidence and source. Direct evidence conclusively establishes a fact, without the need for inference or speculation. Examples of direct evidence include “videos, photographs, recordings, documents, records, paper trials, journalist eyewitness accounts, and observer eyewitness accounts” (class notes). These are all sources in which no presumptions are required. On the contrary, indirect evidence does not provide the evidence necessary in piecing together the truth. This form of evidence may portray collateral facts, contributing only to the formation of a hypothesis, rather that

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