Comments of the Week #147: from spacetime’s nature to the strangest moon of all
"A fact is not “something that you’re told/taught that you remember and regurgitate.” That might be how you get your facts, but being told or taught something doesn’t make the thing you’re told factual. The veracity of the thing being told determines its factualness. And so many of us want a quick and easy answer that we can agree with that we often choose non-factual information (or incomplete facts, or counterfactuals) to confirm our own preconceptions. If you think “oh, I’ll just remember this fact” when you encounter some information, you’re not fact-finding at all."
There has been, as always, a whole lot of interesting science, discoveries, and facts to sate your curiosity. But there are big things at play that go beyond science and into the realm of simple right-and-wrong. About facts. About equality. About the Earth. And about oppression, bullying and marginalized groups. Sometimes egregious things are said, and you need to stand up and tell the uncomfortable truth.
This weekend, I fail to keep my mouth shut. Have a read and see if you agree on this edition of our comments of the week.
