The Truth Is Out There/ resp to Tom

[David Ziglin <davidz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

<<<<Another thing to consider is how many cars have been sold and how many
instances of similar "faults" being reported. Is the number statistically
significant? If MB builds several hundred thousand copies of a certain model
and 60 have similar "faults", is that significant? Probably not in a
statistical sense (although the company may choose to correct the "faults" as
if they were). It could be explained by any one of several reasons. Bad
design, bad manufacture (rumors of "Monday" and "Friday" cars, for instance),
bad operators, almost anything.

The reasonable course of action is to examine all the facts prior to reaching
a conclusion. Lots of people want to find the cause immediately and then
collect facts to support their belief. It doesn't work well that way, >>>>

Thanks, Tom

Yes!  In fact it does not work at all.

We humans pride ourselves in our ability to think rationally which
demonstrates just how astoundingly ignorant we actually are.  The humans'
tendency to see pattern where there is only randomness (images of deities
in pizzas for example) and cause and effect relationships that are purely
arbitrary, specially selected, and unconnected is just one common example
of the fog through which we come to "sure" conclusions.

The truth IS out there as Tom says.  However, what is knowable can only be
known by way of rigorous scientific method ( as Tom suggets ); at the very
least, nothing else has ever been shown to work, not ever.  There are MANY
ways of believing, but only one way of knowing.

Our world society is supersaturated with irrationality; it's not getting
better.    We live in a world where soldiers literally carry million dollar
high tech weapons on their shoulders and magic amulets around their necks
to cancel enemy curses - common sense precautions similar to triple A
stickers on bumpers.

Again, the only problem with common sense is that it is so common.  What is
needed is the kind of uncommon sense one can only find in good science.

David

PS - anyone hear Click and Clack's call today from a mom who wanted to know
their thoughts regarding the purchase of a new BMW Z3 for her 16 year old
daughter?  ( Tiffany says it's sooooo cute )  Mom says, no problem, most of
the speed limits around here are 35mph.

"That's Logic!!"

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