an online book by David Gurteen
An opinion is a judgement, viewpoint, or statement that is not conclusive, as opposed to facts, which are true statements.
Credit: Wikipedia - opinionPeople have some crazy opinions. Generally, these are the opinions that we disagree with. The standard view in both academia and the wider culture is that people have such opinions due to knowledge deficits; they are lacking information. On this view, providing information and critical reasoning skills is the best way to get opinions to … Continue reading People Have Some Crazy Opinions Steven Sloman
Did you know that it’s actually possible for you to say “I don’t know enough about this to have an opinion”. Credit: Richard Feynman Posts where this quotation is embedded Analyze Assumptions and Biases Probe the assumptions and biases that might be embedded in a chatbot’s responses Are There Any Questions? Q&A is not interaction Avoid Anonymity Anonymity … Continue reading It’s OK Not to Have an Opinion Richard Feynman
Gurteen Knowledge Blog June 30, 2023, 10:15I sometimes have conversations with people who don’t know much about a topic I’ve studied in depth. However, they still hold strong opinions about it and have a clear narrative to support their viewpoint. We are all susceptible to this phenomenon, but what is its underlying mechanism? We often encounter … Continue reading How We Construct Our Unfounded Beliefs And false narratives
The opinions that are held with passion are always those for which no good ground exists; indeed the passion is the measure of the holder’s lack of rational conviction. Opinions in politics and religion are almost always held passionately. Credit: Bertrand Russell Comment: Bertrand Russell observes that strongly held passionate opinions, especially regarding politicized or … Continue reading Passionate Opinions Bertrand Russell
When it comes to the ideas and opinions you hold, see them as toys or building blocks that you are playing with. Some you will keep, others you will knock down, but your spirit remains flexible and playful. Credit: Robert Greene Comment: This quote encourages a flexible and open-minded approach to ideas and beliefs, likening … Continue reading Ideas as Toys Robert Greene
Converse in Good Faith Carpe Diem – Seize the Day Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter If we don’t have an opinion, we should say so: In our modern-day culture, it is almost illegal not to have an opinion on an issue, regardless of whether we know anything about it or not. Confident ignorant … Continue reading Say So, If We Don’t Have an Opinion It’s perfectly OK to say ‘Sorry, I don’t know’
Speak Up Speak in Plain Language Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter Speak last: If you want to genuinely understand others’ opinions, listen to them before expressing your views. If you are a senior manager, your role in meetings is pivotal. One effective strategy to maximize the productivity and creativity of these discussions is … Continue reading Speak Last Learn to be the last to speak
Take Responsibility for the Conversation ** Disagree Constructively Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter Speak with less conviction: Persuading others is not easy. It is generally believed that we convince others by speaking with conviction. Is this effective? No, it isn’t. We shouldn’t talk with too much conviction if we want to persuade people. … Continue reading Speak with Less Conviction Speaking with conviction inhibits learning
Stop Ditting Don’t Give Speeches Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter I have my views. Some I hold firmly, some I do not. All of them, every one of them, I am open to being questioned about. And I reserve the right to change my opinion. We all have views, our perspectives, our biases. I … Continue reading Hold Strong Opinions Weakly ** I have no doctrine, I carry on a dialogue
