MIT 144F: Week4
Key Concepts from the Evaluating Facts Article
Golden Rules:
- "...just because it is in print doesn't mean it can be trusted."
- "No "fact" is utterly trustworthy"
- "Truth" should be seen as "probable" not absolute
Classic Ideas about data distortion:
Essentially, the idea of "objective" observation is fraught with difficulties. Subsequently, "objective" facts are not that "objective".
Heisenberg's uncertainty principle
The very act of observing the velocity of a sub-atomic particle makes it impossible to observe its position at the same time, and vice versa.
Hawthorne effect
"Merely observing human beings when they know they are being observed is enough to distort their behavior."
Observer bias
The observer/reporter of events in the world always has a set of internal filters (e.g. self-interest, political, theoretical, historical, cultural, experiential, etc.) through which all observations are made.
Sampling bias
The act of sampling causes, by definiton, things in the world to be excluded from observation. Bias occurs when claims are made about the sample when the sample does not include the appropriate members that would justify the claim. Sampling theory is an important aspect of statistics.
Editorial bias
Can include the same set of filters found in Observer bias. Also includes the idea that the act of writing/presentation causes editorial decisions to be made (e.g. inclusion, exclusion, ordering and emphasis) that can influence how the information is perceived by the user.