[extropy-chat] Elvis Sightings

[BillK]

On 2/11/07, Ben Goertzel <ben at goertzel.org> wrote:
> A truly skeptical attitude, IMO, would involve not making strong
> assertions (positive OR negative) about things you have not carefully
> researched yourself.
>
> Knee-jerk negative reactions not grounded in research are no more
> intelligent, scientific or laudable than knee-jerk positive ones.
>


While in an ideal world this would be true, life is too short.

This is the same 'logic' that says fraudsters should be allowed to
market whatever junk they feel might con money out of gullible folks.
It would therefore be up to every individual to spend significant time
investigating absolutely every product they might wish to buy.

Again, life is too short.

And, of course many (most?) people do not have the knowledge or
training to properly investigate stuff. Especially stuff where the
truth is deliberately concealed.

In our modern society we have to rely on other people doing the
investigation. That's what government labs, the police and other
agencies are supposed to do.

And peer-reviewed journals and referees provide this function for science.

BillK