Dear Editor:

I appreciate the Powell Tribune’s policy of publishing letters from your readers. I especially enjoy those opinions that reflect sound reasoning and stimulate new thinking. We have descended into an epistemic crisis when verifiable facts — whether historical, scientific or legal — are widely disputed, sadly erasing any common ground and with it, any hope of reconciliation.

My purpose here is not to criticize specific opinions, but to offer a few guidelines that might help us out of this morass by rendering our opinions more reliable and persuasive. Others could certainly improve on my suggestions, but we need some standard to stem the spread of disinformation. To judge the truth of a proposition, whether posed through political discourse, news outlets, or social media, we should:

1. Weigh relevant, first-hand evidence that has not passed through the filter of interpretation. Where possible, consult original scientific reports, medical journal articles, statutes, court transcripts, etc.

2. Consider the qualifications of the proponent in the field of inquiry where his or her claim is made. We can’t all be epidemiologists or climatologists. Human progress is predicated on consent to specialized knowledge acquired through extraordinary talent and training. We unconsciously trust experts outside our own specialty every hour of every day (e.g., airline pilots, doctors, food safety inspectors, auto mechanics, and public utility workers).

3. Consider the objectivity and possible motives of the proponent. The emperor Marcus Aurelius lamented how reason can be a slave to human desire, “twitching puppet-like at every pull of self-interest.” Of course, having a financial, political or tribal stake in a particular point of view doesn’t make it invalid, but it should arouse skepticism and prompt independent research.

4. Before formulating your own position, seek out reputable sources that represent all sides of an issue.

Thank you for providing this important forum. Ideally, it is a platform for enlightenment and not just resentment.

Ronn Smith

Powell