The Evidence and the Fool

What is the meaning of “no amount of evidence will ever persuade a fool”?

This statement has a purpose for those unconvinced or persuaded by evidence. You give the most perfect data or perfect reasoning about a topic and the recipient remains unconvinced. The unwritten implication is that he/she then must be a fool.

Therefore, the statement is used to establish this: “If you accept no evidence, you must be a fool.”

The inability by others (i.e. you, me, et al.) to persuade even very intelligent people has been rampant over all of time, in science, politics, philosophy, religion, even in war. The nifty little aphorism in this question allows us to indirectly call them fools. Second hand insults, as it were. Pretty neat!

For example, Democrats think of Republicans as fools because they are unpersuaded by (their) evidence. And vice-versa. In times past, Lutherans thought of Catholics in the same way – using the word “heretic.” And vice-versa. New science is often promoted by fools, according to established science.

Comments

Behavioral Science and Problem-Solving

I. I. Introduction. Concerning our general behavior, it’s high about time we all had some understanding of how we operate on ourselves, and it is just as important how we are operated on by others. This is the wheelhouse of behavioral sciences. It is a vast subject. It touches our lives constantly. It’s influence is pervasive and can be so subtle we never notice it. Behavioral sciences profoundly affect our ability and success at problem-solving, from the elementary level to highly complex wicked problems. This is discussed in Section IV. We begin with the basics of behavioral sciences, Section II, and then through the lens of multiple categories and examples, Section III. II. ...

UNCERTAINTY IS CERTAIN

Uncertainty is Certain G. Donald Allen 12/12/2024 1. Introduction . This short essay is about uncertainty in people from both secular and nonsecular viewpoints. One point that will emerge is that randomly based uncertainty can be a driver for religious structure. Many groups facing uncertainty about their future are deeply religious or rely on faith as a source of comfort, resilience, and guidance. The intersection of uncertainty and religiosity often stems from the human need to find meaning, hope, and stability in the face of unpredictable or challenging circumstances. We first take up the connections of uncertainty to religion for the first real profession, farming, noting that hunting has many similar uncertainties. Below are groups that commonly lean on religious beliefs amidst uncertainty. This short essay is a follow-up to a previous piece on certainty (https://used-ideas.blogspot.com/2024/12/certainty-is-also-emotion.html). U...

Mediocrity

Once of the worst things that can happen to a young person is to be told their mediocre performance is good. For me, I was told the opposite, that my efforts would end me in failure. That was a spur that dug in deep. I would prove him wrong. And I did. Do not praise mediocrity, no matter how much it makes you feel good or your target.

First Blog

Search This Blog