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tcpipAdding to the last entry, yesterday morning I received my final grades for "Physical Basis of Climate Change"; an overall A grade, B+ for the exam (one mark off an A, and I think they made a mistake!). An additional email involved the remarking of the final essay for the GradDipAppPsych. I initially received a middling B grade for this, gave a Gallic shrug, and moved on, as it was the final mark. It turns out however that there had been a muck-up in the grades and comments, and I had actually written an A+ essay. The essay in question was on relationship advice which must cause a wry chuckle among those who have an inkling of what was the train wreck in that experience in recent years. In any case, it involved contemporary evidence compared to a traditional Rogerian humanist and client-centred approach, and I was rather pleased that I managed to find some relatively rare and late material by Carl Rogers on the topic.
All these endeavours do lead me to reflect on that thorny epistemological question of justified true belief. I cannot help but notice that there are many people who have very strong opinions on matters that they know little about, and often it seems the less they know the more strident they are. I personally prefer expert opinion and, if I have sufficient interest, I end up taking up a relevant professional activity (e.g., politics, supercomputing, education, etc) or a formal qualification.
Two particular examples come to mind where popular opinion is at great variance with expert opinion. The first is seventy-five percent think that China is a military threat to Australia. Whilst modernising, any serious analysis reveals that China has neither the intent nor the capability of engaging in invasive wars. The second is climate change, where over forty percent think that it's either not a problem at all, or the effects are sufficiently gradual that no drastic action is required which, of course, runs quite contrary to the latest IPCC report, but what would they know? After all, as Gettier pointed out, it is possible that ignorance can be right through luck and knowledge wrong due to unknown, but critical, variables. It is really not a good basis for public policy, however.
All these endeavours do lead me to reflect on that thorny epistemological question of justified true belief. I cannot help but notice that there are many people who have very strong opinions on matters that they know little about, and often it seems the less they know the more strident they are. I personally prefer expert opinion and, if I have sufficient interest, I end up taking up a relevant professional activity (e.g., politics, supercomputing, education, etc) or a formal qualification.
Two particular examples come to mind where popular opinion is at great variance with expert opinion. The first is seventy-five percent think that China is a military threat to Australia. Whilst modernising, any serious analysis reveals that China has neither the intent nor the capability of engaging in invasive wars. The second is climate change, where over forty percent think that it's either not a problem at all, or the effects are sufficiently gradual that no drastic action is required which, of course, runs quite contrary to the latest IPCC report, but what would they know? After all, as Gettier pointed out, it is possible that ignorance can be right through luck and knowledge wrong due to unknown, but critical, variables. It is really not a good basis for public policy, however.
no subject
Date: 2023-06-27 06:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-06-27 11:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-06-28 02:02 pm (UTC)I wanted to mention in case it didn't make international news that Toronto has finally elected a centre-left Mayor after a string of disastrous, sometimes crack smoking conservatives held the position.
The mayor-elect is Olivia Chow. You might remember her from the time I wrote Jack Layton's obituary, if I in fact mentioned her as I should. She's had a lengthy political career and run for this position before.
It's a monumental task ahead given the state of Toronto, but one thing might help. After John Tory was reelected, and before anyone could guess he would resign due to inappropriate relations with a staffer, his friend Premier Doug Ford granted "strong mayor powers" to a bunch of cities, likely under the assumption that his conservative friend would remain at the helm in the province's (and country's) most populous city. So, while Olivia says she would prefer not to use these powers, and would rather build consensus with city council, if the council turns out to be blocked up with hostile conservative interests, there are some things she might be able to get done unilaterally.
Strange situation, but I'm allowing myself cautious optimism.
no subject
Date: 2023-07-01 12:36 am (UTC)A good result, although it is disappointing that it's taken this long.
Now, as always, the hard part: actual governance.