How do you know?

[mhearn]

Four Methods of Knowing (from Kerlinger's Research Methods)

There are four general ways of knowing.

First. The way of tenacity. “This is true and I hold firmly to the truth.” The truth that someone knows to be true because they hold firmly to it. They “know” it to be true. Frequent repetition of such truths seem to enhance their validity. People often cling to these truths in the face of clearly conflicting facts.

Second. The way of authority. This is the method of command established belief. The high Guru says this is true. Actually, life could not go on without the method of authority. Thus, it should not be concluded that the method of authority is unsound. It is unsound only under certain circumstances. Especially when delivered outside someone's area of experience. "MDs who thing they know how to invest money."

The third method is based upon intuition. It rests its case on the assumption that the propositions are self evident. Its reasonable. Anybody should be able to reason that that is true. Who's reason.

The fourth method is the method of science. The scientific approach has a characteristic that no other method of attaining knowledge has: self correction. There are built-in checks all along the way. These checks control and verify the conclusions. Statements are not accepted out of hand as true. They are tested. The end result is that there are characteristics/conclusions/facts that are entirely independent of our opinions.

Statement like "I feel". "I like". Are important. Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius or 212 degrees Fahrenheit under standard conditions at sea level (at one atmosphere of pressure). This is a fact. I can test it. I can prove it.

I enjoy some opinions. However, when giving your opinion, the courteous thing to do is to label it as such. "In my opinion from 20 years of direct experience on this topic . . ." When reporting a fact, label it as a fact. (Testing by the US Army has shown M855 Muzzle velocity 14.5" barrel generally between 2800 - 2900 fps.)- I'll take them both. I can't say that I want them both.

[want2race]

That is one hell of a hate rant. I like it. Good point to. If opinion is given, state it as so.