How to find truth

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...when we want to believe something, we ask ourselves, “Can I believe it?” Then, we search for supporting evidence, and if we find even a single piece of pseudo-evidence, we can stop thinking. We now have permission to believe. We have a justification, in case anyone asks. 
In contrast, when we don’t want to believe something, we ask ourselves, “Must I believe it?” Then we search for contrary evidence, and if we find a single reason to doubt the claim, we can dismiss it. You only need one key to unlock the handcuffs of must.[1]


Conscious reasoning functions like a press secretary who automatically justifies any position taken by the president.
With the help of our press secretary, we are able to lie and cheat often, and then cover it up so effectively that we convince even ourselves.
Reasoning can take us to almost any conclusion we want to reach, because we ask “Can I believe it?” when we want to believe something, but “Must I believe it?” when we don’t want to believe. The answer is almost always yes to the first question and no to the second.[2]


Footnotes

  1. Haidt, Jonathan. The Righteous Mind (p. 98).
  2. Haidt, Jonathan. The Righteous Mind (pp. 106-107). Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.


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