Word Wednesday #3 - Philosophic Doubt!

It's time for Word Wednesday! This week we get a twofer! It's Philosophic Doubt!

Philosophic Doubt is one of the assumptions of science (we're back in the behavior world!). It's the idea that what we "know" to be true can always change in light of novel, stronger evidence. It's the reason my freshman year Philosophy professor drilled into our brains that nothing can truly be "proved," only not yet disproved.

Think about the things people "knew" centuries / decades ago: The Earth is the center of the universe, humours cause all medical maladies, and we shouldn't use the internet to get in cars with strangers. New information, evidence, or technology came along and the things we "knew" changed! We have a different understanding on the world now. How would we ever evolve intellectually or gain new knowledge if we didn't question what we "know" to be true? It's how science progresses!

Improvisers might also be familiar with this concept, although we wouldn't use those same words. In light of new offers, sometimes we have to shift what we "know" to be true about our scene. If I start a scene imagining myself as a loud, tough drill sergeant yelling at their troops, and my scene partner asks me to sit down to join the tea party... You better bet I'm now a loud, tough tea party guest. I had to shift my worldview in light of new ("true") information.

In this pandemic world, are we riding the Philosophic Doubt train or what? A new virus means new research is coming out daily! Vigorous and peer-reviewed research takes time, and the results are steadily trickling towards us, the non-epidemiologists of the world. From a scientist's perspective, it's fascinating to be living in a world where knowledge is emerging so rapidly, and where we're learning new things every day. We're used to getting all of our answers from the little rectangles in our pockets, though. How is an anxious human like me supposed to get by without Google telling me exactly what is happening?!

It's ok, fellow anxious humans. The best we can do is work with the science and evidence that we have. It's the best any of us can do. And when we discover evidence disproving what we "know"... well... Take comfort in recognizing your part in the eternal forward march of science!