A Valuable Argument

The universe is vast and complex, but the human brain is small and simple in comparison. To make sense of things, the brain has developed tools to turn experiences into symbols, recall sensations, and identify patterns. However, these mental tricks require a lot of energy, so the brain takes shortcuts such as seeking out ideas that confirm existing beliefs, favouring the opinions of trusted individuals, and treating personal experiences as evidence. While these biases are often helpful, they can also mislead us in a world of differing opinions. To make decisions, we can use logic to combine established ideas to support the acceptance of new ones. By looking for logic in arguments, we can determine whether to agree with somebody or wait for more information.