I really like the distinction between trusting a “who” as a shortcut and actually examining the “how” underneath it.
One practical test I’ve found useful is to apply the same principle to fairly ordinary decisions, not just science or politics. For example, when comparing an online service, it’s easy to rely on reviews, rankings, or someone saying “this is the best.” A more useful approach is to ask what those claims are actually based on: how reliable is it, what are the limitations, how was it tested, and can the underlying evidence be checked independent... (read more)
I really like the distinction between trusting a “who” as a shortcut and actually examining the “how” underneath it.
One practical test I’ve found useful is to apply the same principle to fairly ordinary decisions, not just science or politics. For example, when comparing an online service, it’s easy to rely on reviews, rankings, or someone saying “this is the best.” A more useful approach is to ask what those claims are actually based on: how reliable is it, what are the limitations, how was it tested, and can the underlying evidence be checked independent... (read more)