Why do we believe things that aren't true? | Philip Fernbach | TEDxMileHigh

Summary

The script discusses the prevalence of false beliefs, exemplified by the flat Earth theory and its proponents, including rapper B.o.B. It challenges the audience's instinct to dismiss such beliefs as irrational, arguing that all humans are susceptible to holding misconceptions due to the limited knowledge stored in our minds. The speaker, a cognitive scientist, emphasizes the importance of intellectual humility and recognizing the role of social knowledge-sharing in forming our beliefs, advocating for a more nuanced understanding of complex issues.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The internet was abuzz when rapper B.o.B questioned the Earth's spherical shape, sparking a debate with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.
• 🌿 There exists a Flat Earth Society with a long history, promoting the idea that the Earth is flat and opposing what they call 'Globularist lies'.
• 🤔 The script challenges the audience's initial reaction to mock flat-Earthers, suggesting that false beliefs are common and stem from how our minds work.
• 📊 The prevalence of false beliefs is highlighted by the current issues of fake news, science denial, and public misconceptions on critical topics like vaccination and climate change.
• 🧠 It is pointed out that as individuals, we possess limited personal knowledge and most of our beliefs are not based on our own understanding.
• 🔍 Thomas Landauer's research is mentioned, estimating the human knowledge base to be as small as 1 gigabyte, emphasizing our reliance on external knowledge.
• 🤝 The importance of social cognition is underscored, with the comparison to bees showing that human success comes from our ability to collaborate and share knowledge.
• 🏰 The Milan Cathedral example illustrates how human achievements are the result of collective effort and specialized knowledge over centuries.
• 💡 The 'dark side' of knowledge sharing is discussed, where the illusion of understanding can lead to the acceptance of false beliefs without verification.
• 🗣️ The script addresses the danger of expressing strong beliefs based on a false sense of understanding, which can propagate misinformation.
• 🌈 It concludes by advocating for intellectual humility and recognizing the limits of our own understanding, suggesting that this can improve discourse and beliefs.

Q & A

Who is Bobby Ray Simmons, and why did he become a topic of discussion on the Internet?

Bobby Ray Simmons, also known as B.o.B, is a rapper who became a topic of discussion because he tweeted reasons why he believed the Earth is flat, sparking a public debate.

How did Neil deGrasse Tyson respond to B.o.B's tweets about the Earth being flat?

Neil deGrasse Tyson, an astrophysicist, responded to B.o.B's tweets by explaining the scientific discrepancies in B.o.B's flat Earth claims, but B.o.B held his ground.

What is the Flat Earth Society, and what is their motto?

The Flat Earth Society is a group that believes the Earth is flat, with roots going back to the 1800s. Their motto is 'We man the guns against oppression of thought, and the Globularist lies of a new age.'

Why does the speaker argue that it is wrong to simply laugh at flat-earthers?

The speaker argues that laughing at flat-earthers is wrong because false belief is common among humans due to the way our minds work and store knowledge, not because they are inherently dense or crazy.

What does the speaker mean by saying 'false belief is our birthright'?

The speaker means that humans are naturally prone to believing things that aren't true due to the fundamental principles of how our minds function and how we store knowledge.

How does the speaker explain the phenomenon of people believing in scientifically unsupported claims like flat Earth theory or vaccine denial?

The speaker explains that people believe in unsupported claims because they often draw on knowledge outside their own heads, rely on their communities, and fail to recognize the limits of their own understanding.

What did Thomas Landauer's research conclude about the human knowledge base?

Thomas Landauer's research concluded that the average human's knowledge base is about 1 gigabyte, which is a tiny amount compared to modern digital storage.

What does the speaker suggest is the real source of our ability to understand complex issues?

The speaker suggests that our ability to understand complex issues comes from our capacity to share knowledge and collaborate with others, rather than from individual understanding.

What example does the speaker use to illustrate the complexity humans can achieve through collaboration?

The speaker uses the construction of the Milan Cathedral, which took over 600 years and involved thousands of people, as an example of the complexity humans can achieve through collaboration.

How does the speaker describe the 'dark side' of our reliance on shared knowledge?

The speaker describes the 'dark side' as our tendency to overestimate our own understanding because we seamlessly draw on external knowledge, leading to a false sense of certainty and the spread of misinformation.

What experiment does the speaker describe to show how easily people can feel they understand something they don't?

The speaker describes an experiment where participants were told about a fictitious glowing rock. Those who were told scientists had explained the rock's glow felt they understood it better, even though they had no actual information.

What analogy does the speaker use to explain how humans collectively achieve complex goals?

The speaker uses the analogy of a beehive, where complex behaviors are achieved through individual specialization and collaboration, to explain how humans collectively achieve complex goals.

What does the speaker recommend to combat the spread of false beliefs?

The speaker recommends practicing intellectual humility, recognizing the limits of our own understanding, and appreciating how much of what we believe depends on others.