Prompt

I am a scientist, and that influences the way that I think. I tend to view things analytically, and am usually skeptical of claims that Im presented with. I even find myself checking my own thoughts and emotions sometimes to make sure I can actually trust them. When I have to make a decision I like to have all the evidence in front of me (often on paper) so that I can work carefully through all possible options. In case it sounds like Im just complimenting myself here, imagine how annoying that can be when Im going out to dinner with friends and were trying to pick out a restaurant.

My point is that the way I think is influenced by the work that I do. I am curious to know what has influenced the way that you think and how you make decisions. Consider how this weeks reading from A Survival Guide to the Misinformation Age describes a scientific mindset. Of the characteristics of scientific thought that Helfand identifies in the reading, which do you see yourself 

employed in everyday life? If the answer is “not many,” what alternate approach do you take 

when you have to make a decision or evaluate information?

Do you think that science is the only way to gain knowledge about the world? What are some 

other ways? In what scenarios (if any) are non-scientific modes of thought useful?

As a reminder, a thoughtful post (2 paragraphs minimum)