As our group identified different fallacies in philosophy on Wednesday, my thought ventured. It was in the same neighborhood, just not the exact address as any of the fallacies on the study guide. Rather, I began to think about the fallacy of authority and how much we rely on it. Think about how often we take someone's word on it just because they look like they know it. Or even if the person is "qualified," aren't we committing the fallacy an initial time with the qualifiers? That is, deeming the works and materials that give a person authority must have their own authority. How do we know that these people can provide knowledgeable insight on a topic?
I am the champion of this fallacy. I commit it all the time. Hell, it drives my outlook on life. "Oh, science has proven evolution and explains many of the miracles of life? The scientists said that? Good enough for me." When people ask why I am atheist, especially when they seem to be looking for a spiteful reason to hate God, I will flatly reply, "Science." I trust the scientists' word on things, when I really shouldn't. I have this egotistical worldview that we cannot really innovate any more and that the world won't be carved up into pieces by destructive powers as it was in the past. It's a very rational and intelligent view with about zero support by world history. However, the scientists could be proven wrong in many aspects in just one lifetime. Yet I still take their word with foolish trust.
How can we ever really know what we are learning? Who can we trust with the authority of knowledge? Why couldn't we leave this fallacy of the list so I would never know about it?!
No comments:
Post a Comment