Facts Versus Truth

Years ago there was a program on NPR called Mr. Science.

He would propound some strange theory and then questioned he would say, “"Because I know more than you do, I have a degree in Science". It was funny. Kinda.

Last night I was listening to the last hour of an overnight program which is rerun in our market from 11-12 midnite. The conversation was about psychic phenomena and/or the paranormal at any level.

Dr Mark Schermer who writes Scientific American and Publishes the Skeptic Magazine was the main part of the discussion was incensed that anyone could believe any of this. He was dismissive, arrogant, defensive and pejorative of anyone who could or might believe any of the theory brought by the other sides of the argument. I have no dog in the hunt but I was amused by the vigor with which Schermer rejected any arguments. It was very familiar sounding.

The man in favor of the argument for psychic phenomena asked a simple question. What if certain psychic phenomena were factually demonstrated and proven beyond any reasonable doubt. Would you believe then? Schermer said no. “The facts would not disprove the truth”. HUH?

On Extension 720 radio with Milt Rosenberg two weeks ago Dr Leonard Susskind who has written a new book about string theory (The Cosmic Landscape : String Theory and the Illusion of Intelligent Design: by Leonard Susskind). Susskind gave an intense rationale as to why string theory can not support intelligent design. The problem he was dealing in his book was a trend deep inside the research community where thousands of scientists are beginning to say that the nature of matter illustrates how intelligent design is actually the only valid thesis of all material existence. Many of them have begun to explore the Christian faith. Some have even become committed to it. Hawking and Einstein both postulated that an argument can be made for a creator God when you consider the basic nature of matter.

For the first hour he went merrily along propounding and demeaning faith in God as proven by his “truthiness”. Then in the second hour he had to take calls from listeners. To his dismay local scientists who have come to grips with the "“God created the universe”" concept in Chicagoland began to call him (we have Fermi Lab and Argonne Labs in town with about 5000 quantum physicists in house). They debated scientist to scientist with an equal authority of scientific depth. His arguments began to whither. His frustration became palpable. Halfway thru the hour he refused to take any more calls. They had gutted his arguments regarding string theory's ability to discount intelligent design whatsoever. Never let the facts get in the way of the truth. He wasn't convinced. I guess when Dale Carnegie said, "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still"
It's still true!

I have been in a political, cultural and religious discussion for a few months now with some wonderful intelligent people who are proving this pattern perfectly.

They don'’t let the facts get in the way of their “"truth"”.

If you are solidified in your thinking and someone comes along with a contrary opinion, the capacity to consider the other side is limited by how it might disturb your matrix of life theory in which you live. Like the professor on Milt Rosenberg'’s program, the facts must never interfere with the truth matrix we have all developed for our lives.

This goes both ways. I have come out recently for re-examining the socio-economic fabric of our lower and lower paid work force and it'’s long-term implications politically for the USA. My thesis is that the wide division economically (middle class disappearing) with a permanent underclass who is allowed to vote will ultimately result in a demagogue taking power in the USA. Chile, Venezuela, and other elections demonstrate that potential. We are living in Germany 1927.

I have been pilloried by my right wing friends for this view.
They have called me every name including the one most vile, Liberal.

I have made public statements about why Wal-Mart is not good for America. My conservative friends have smiled knowingly and considered me just a bit wacky. Liberal friends have considered this a coup. Nope. I try not to let the truth I live by mess with the facts I plainly see. I am trying to see thru the Matrix of my own life. Fortunately other conservative thinkers are coming to this conclusion. Matt Drudge, and today, Kathleen Parker who is no liberal at any level are speaking out on this issue. I think the facts are starting to modify certain conservative "“Truths"”.

In an interesting article it was demonstrated by some researchers that political viewpoints were not processed by the reasoning portion of your brain. That in fact what you believe you believe in spite of the facts, your truth, is unmolested by reality. That by the way is true for me too. I am trying to wrestle against this incursion of bias in favor of reason.

I have discovered that when confronted with facts that counter their truth there are predictable responses from the right or left:

• Denial
• Ridicule
• Anger
• Refusal to continue any debate
• Arrogance (we'’re smarter than you are, The Mr Science Defense)
• Trumping by superior education
• I donÂ’t care what that proves, I still don'’t believe
• Discounting the person who said it as ignorant
• Parsing (this happens a great deal with people who struggle with the Bible, take a verse out of context and try to prove this or that)
• Changing the subject to deflect the power of the argument.
• Trying to pigeonhole the person. I am a charismatic Christian. Many mainline friends will couch anything I say within my prescibed (by them) Charismatic framework. That somehow sufficiently discounts the opinion I express. Never let facts get in the way of truth.
• Engaging in intellectual dishonesty to maintain a position you have become aware is destroyed by the facts

Sadly, this kind of attitude exists in families (that'’s why you feel so much like a child when you go see your Mom and Dad even when you have grandkids of your own). The facts have no bearing on the truth in your brain.

In the Matrix (the movie). Cypher has decided to rat out his fellows including Morpheus, Neo and Trinity. There is a scene within the Matrix where he and Mr. Smith (an agent) are in a fine restaurant. Cypher is eating a steak and drinking fine wine. He says, "“I know that none of this is real. I know the fact is this steak doesn'’t exist. When I taste it, that it's not real. That this wine is all a program. But I don'’t care. I'’m sick of being in that smelly dirty place"”. So he makes a deal with agent Smith in exchange for living in wealth, fine food and lots of women. Exchanging a "truth" for a lie the reality he knows to be correct is swaped for a new reality that is counter to the facts. "Truth" trumping facts.

Of course none of it happens. He dies. That'’s the way movies are.

But, to a person who has a mindset of emotional truth which cannot be challenged with facts will ultimately find themselves like Cypher deciding to live a lie. Oh they'’ll be happy, they'’ll think things are as they should be. They will even find others to reinforce their "“truth"”. That'’s why talk radio (conservative or liberal) is so successful. That'’s why the blogosphere is so explosive. We can build our own worlds in our own little truth matrix.

I can, you can, find truth from others that lines up with your truth. And you can live in your Matrix. I'll live in mine. We will be amazed that other people can possibly be so confused and deluded.

Just don'’t let the facts get in the way of the truth you have chosen.

As Neo said at the end of The Matrix, "“Now that you know, what are you going to do now?"