Investigating reports
Hello Rabbi!
Sorry in advance for the generality, but I suspect you will be able to encompass my requests.
So I’ll start, in recent weeks I’ve started to really be bothered by the repeated and increasing reports from “journalists” about politicians, by and large of course more than from the left because of the mass and cunning, but the systematic nature of this approach, in my opinion, exists today in all media outlets that strive to get the emotions they’re looking for out of me in order to use us as a tool for their ideology, and I’m fed up.
I really think there is a commodity we need in today’s ideological chaos, and that is how to investigate such reports and how to approach examining such arguments and reports.
Laypeople like me are helpless against all types of activist agendas. Without familiarity with professional content such as law, the military, economics. I would love to stop being lazy and understand how I, the little one, manage to create a way for myself to break down reports and arguments at least on a basic level, how to examine sources of information where and how to search for data, maybe there are philosophical principles that can help on the subject. This need has increased for me these days during the Cattergate report. Everything there just seems vague and and I feel like I have to get myself in order, even if you have videos on YouTube that you suspect will help, I would love to know, thank you!
Discover more from הרב מיכאל אברהם
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
It is difficult to give general methods. Some recommendations:
1. Even when you have a position, consider the possibility of error.
2. Hear reports from all sides but critically. Don’t stick to a particular channel.
3. In every report, pay close attention to what is factual and what is interpretation, conclusion, and general statement. The destruction of democracy is not a fact but a statement. Bibi is corrupt, as above. The Kaplanists are leftists, as above.
4. There are clues when it’s a fake. Stay away from information passed on to you by private individuals who have a friend who knows everything. At least as long as there is no verification.
5. When making analogies and giving examples, carefully examine whether it is really similar (hint: almost always not). The same goes for statistical arguments. Stay away from these like fire.
If you take these steps, I think you will be able to get an impression of what the facts are and then formulate a position. Carefully and skeptically.
As a rule, we do not have direct access to facts except through the media. Therefore, pay attention to 1.
Discover more from הרב מיכאל אברהם
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Beware of experts. Most fields don't have experts, and even in the fields that do have experts – they are human and opinions are biased. Listen to experts on both sides.
You also don't need to form a position on Qatar Gate. Wait for the investigation to be completed and for the trial if there is one. Why does everyone have to have a position on everything now?!
Thank you very much for the answer, I would be happy to go into the details a little more and ask what is the way to distinguish between conclusions and interpretations, for example, how can one distinguish between a biased statement and a statement that behaves like a proclamation that perhaps relies on a factual source? Is there really a way to analyze a report in an orderly manner and understand the general semantics of the report?
Any statement that does not state the facts is a statement. The fact that someone says there are facts is of little importance.
Even if he does state them, he may still be lying, biased, or simply wrong.
Leave a Reply
Please login or Register to submit your answer
