Sgt Scholar

[sgtscholar]

For a few #veterans, their time in uniform led to the heights of #PublicService, where they used the bully pulpit to remind us how important #science and #education are. Sgt. Scholar Actual gathered the thoughts of some of those politicians (and other public servants) for your consideration. [Isotope] . . . #VeteransDay #military #wisequotes https://sgtscholar.wordpress.com/2019/05/31/quotes-from-teddy-roosevelt-and-other-us-vets-closing-the-political-divide-on-science-and-conservation/ https://www.instagram.com/p/CWJsotFBTmR/?utm_medium=tumblr

[sgtscholar]

This is outrageous! I specifically asked for my crayon-cake to be medium-rare-pink in the middle, with a bottle of glue and Jameson on the side. I'm gonna have to speak with the manager. Moving one though, Semper Fidelis, Marines. We've kicking ass and taking names between our phonics lessons since Nov 10, 1775---except for that one period between 1783 and 1798, when congress disbanded us. Those mother duckers. You can learn more in the link below. Or not. This is a Facebook post, not a Drill Instructor. https://sgtscholar.wordpress.com/2018/11/10/the-usmc-celebrated-2-birthdays-in-1921/ #Marines #USMC #MarineCorps #SemperFi #Hashtags #Veterans #Military #MilitaryHumor #IsThisTooManyHashTags #CombatVeterans #Combat #IThinkThisIsTooManyHashTags #Crayons #JustOneMoreBeerThenWeGoHomeJK #DontDrinkAndDriveYouDuckers #StaySafe https://www.instagram.com/p/CWGaw9tJ5bG/?utm_medium=tumblr

[sgtscholar]

OTD in 1867, Marie Curie (Maria Salomea Skłodowska) was born. Here is one of my favorite quotes of hers. Carpe Datum and Semper Sci! [Sgt Scholar Actual] #MarieCurie #science #STEM #physics #chemistry #WomenInSTEM #GoodQuotes #WiseQuotes https://www.instagram.com/p/CV_MwKJBuzp/?utm_medium=tumblr

[sgtscholar]

VIII error the type: syntax [Sgt Scholar Actual] #badsciencejokes #sciencejokes #STEM #statistics #stats #math #humor #funny #nerdjokes #nerdhumor https://www.instagram.com/p/CV8SI2-vyzZ/?utm_medium=tumblr

[sgtscholar]

Anecdotes do have some utility in other important matters like justice and history. However, in science, an anecdote is at best an inspirational tool to formulate a testable hypothesis. An anecdote is not scientific evidence, nor does it overturn scientific evidence. Carpe Datum and Semper Sci! [Sgt Scholar Actual] Let's Promote #skepticism (not contrarian doubt) #criticalthinking #logic #evidence #science #STEM #scicomm #education #metacognition #selfawareness #dialogue #philosophy #reason #wisdom Let's Attenuate #pseudoscience #snakeoil unfounded #conspiracytheories #bullshit #fallacies #cognitivebiases #misinformation #disinformation https://www.instagram.com/p/CV8GYD-pTGD/?utm_medium=tumblr

[sgtscholar]

[sgtscholar]

The silver lining is we found a biology textbook inside some Nerds and a Buzz Aldrin #GetYourAssToMars poster inside a Mars bar. [Sgt Scholar Actual] #Halloween #science #STEM #badsciencejokes #humor #funny #skepticism #criticalthinking #satire #biology #astronomy #buzzaldrin #logic #spooktober #puns #dadjokes #nerdjokes #geekjokes https://www.instagram.com/p/CVssgEQpHOf/?utm_medium=tumblr

[sgtscholar]

This is a good lesson from #history about #skepticism and #CriticalThinking. Many of us learned how on Oct 30, 1938, Orson Welles did a modified radio show of the #SciFi classic "War of the Worlds," by H.G. Wells. The first part of the show was a mock radio news broadcast, and many of us learned it caused mass hysteria across the nation. At first, this seems like a cautionary tale why we should not believe everything we hear. Though that's good advice, that alleged mass hysteria is a misunderstanding, deliberate exaggeration, or both. Why? The show had few listeners. That night the C.E. Hooper ratings service called 5,000 households and asked what show they were listening to. Only 2% answered a radio 'play' or 'the Orson Welles program,' or something similar. But none called it a "news broadcast." So the numbers weren't there to cause a nationwide panic. However, a few people did phone the police to double-check if the story was true. But this was still enough to annoy the police. So the police entered the CBS studio building and tried to stop the show. There is no evidence for mass hysteria. But why did the myth persist? In great part, newspapers across the nation had shocking headlines like these. But why did those papers have those headlines when evidence was lacking? It seems that reports of the police response may have misled newspapers to believe there was a panic. But, it's also conceivable they exaggerated the truth to make sales. . Anyways, many people in modern times are (or at least were) under the impression there was mass hysteria back in '38. Hell, I was even taught that in school. I didn't learn about how the gullible "panic" claim was false until 2013. So, in the end, it is still a valuable lesson: reserve enough judgment to consider how a claim might be inaccurate and be willing to change your understanding if better evidence comes to light. For more: https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2013/10/30/241797346/75-years-ago-war-of-the-worlds-started-a-panic-or-did-it https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/infamous-war-worlds-radio-broadcast-was-magnificent-fluke-180955180/ Carpe Datum and Semper Sci! [Sgt Scholar Actual] https://www.instagram.com/p/CVrsqWUrk1c/?utm_medium=tumblr

[sgtscholar]

This fallacy has different types. But, deferment to the knowledge of most experts =\= a fallacy. Also, just because science has been wrong before doesn't mean any claim is plausible. Need some more elaboration?/Ingot your six. Check out the link below. Note: the first example shows a correct conclusion, but it is still a use of false authority because the argument attempts to use an unqualified source to add credibility. In other words, the conclusion is right, but the reasoning provided is not cogent. https://sgtscholar.wordpress.com/2019/06/30/argument-from-authority/ Let's Promote #skepticism (not contrarian doubt) #criticalthinking #logic #evidence #science #STEM #scicomm #education #metacognition #selfawareness #dialogue #philosophy #reason #wisdom Let's Attenuate #pseudoscience #snakeoil unfounded #conspiracytheories #bullshit #fallacies #cognitivebiases #misinformation #disinformation https://www.instagram.com/p/CVqLixcpJA0/?utm_medium=tumblr

[sgtscholar]

Pseudoscience is fake science. It uses flawed reasoning to (intentionally or not) propagate misinformation. Many ppl believe in a few pseudoscientific claims---including me when I was younger. No one is perfect, and this isn't a post to demean pos for honest errors. How can we identify pseudoscience? I made this chart that briefly explains some common red flags. The more red-flags, the more likely it's pseudoscience. What are some examples? The following are entirely or largely pseudoscience. Again, just because you may believe in a few doesn't make you unintelligent. But it is an opportunity for growth. Naturopathy Homeopathy Alkaline water Flat Earth Astrology Extra-sensory perception Cupping Ghost hunting Dowsing Spiritual mediums Creationism Reiki Numerous anti-GMO claims Numerous AV claims UFO-logy Ionic air therapy Aromatherapy Chiropractic Crystal healing Faith healing Numerology Again, believing in some of these does not make you unintelligent. It just means you have been misled. I once believed in a few of these, such as spiritual mediums, extra-sensory perception, UFOs and more. My belief was due to social influence and media, such as shows like "The X Files," and alleged "docuseries" like "Sightings." We are products of our environment, so this was a normal consequence. But this belief began to change after I dived into science and critical thinking in my mid-twenties to thirties. I began to understand how to better untangle the nonsense from the facts, and what science was and was not. Yes, it took time, and there were some humbling growing pains, but it was worth it. Of course, brief overview isn't enough to build a useful skillset. But if you're thirsty for more, I'll post resources in the comments. Carpe Datum and Semper Sci! [Sgt Scholar Actual] Let's Promote #skepticism (not contrarian doubt) #criticalthinking #logic #evidence #science #STEM #scicomm #education #metacognition #selfawareness #dialogue #philosophy #reason #wisdom Let's Attenuate #pseudoscience #snakeoil unfounded #conspiracytheories #bullshit #fallacies #cognitivebiases #misinformation #disinformation https://www.instagram.com/p/CVnsXR_veiy/?utm_medium=tumblr

[sgtscholar]

Asking questions is an important first step in #CriticalThinking and #skepticism. However, asking questions is useless when someone uses contrarian doubt to dismiss cogent and well-supported answers. Skeptical doubt is doubt when there is a lack of robust evidence, especially when the claim is extraordinary. Contrarian doubt is doubt for the sake of doubt; it assumes the best answer is to contradict the empirical evidence. And in the case of conspiratorial speculation, contrarian doubt is used to construct an assumption that the evidence is actually a lie (even though evidence for this alleged lie is lacking). Asking questions without the honest intent to analyze evidence is known as JAQing off. (JAQ = just asking questions). A related term is sea- lioning. Sea-lioning is a tactic used by some contrarians, where they ask many repeated questions in a spuriously civil manner in order to exhaust the opponent. Again, no attempt is made to seriously consider the answers. And many of the questions may be nonsensical or frustrating, contributing little to meaningful #dialogue. The takeaway message: asking questions is a meaningless endeavor without honestly reflecting on answers. Carpe Datum and Semper Sci! [Sgt Scholar Actual] Promote: #logic #reason #STEM #philosophy meaningful #argument #scicom #science #civics #metacognition #selfawareness Attenuate: #misinformation #pseudoscience #CognitiveBiases #snakeoil #bs #fakenews https://www.instagram.com/p/CVVeoEAloxG/?utm_medium=tumblr

[sgtscholar]

Premise 1: if you tell the truth, then people will be offended. Premise 2: I offended people. Conclusion: I told the truth. Does the above argument commit a fallacy, assuming the premises are true? If so, which one? Answer below. . . . . . . . . . . . Of course, the first premise is not true for all cases, nor for all people. But again, we were to assume the premise was true for all cases and people. In such a case, this argument commits the formal fallacy known as affirming the consequent. Denying the antecedent and affirming the consequent are two types of formal fallacies. Formal fallacies have nothing to do with "propriety," as with "formal events." Formal, in this case, means form, or structure; meaning the structure of the argument does not support the conclusion. Of course, this doesn't mean the conclusion is wrong. It just means the argument is invalid, ie, the argument does not support the conclusion. However, the conclusion may be accidentally correct, but it wouldn't be true *because* of the reasoning. Take the example from the chart. If you heard Joe is dead (and no other information was given) he might have been decapitated. But simply assuming he was decapitated because decapitation causes death relies on fallacious reasoning. These two fallacies apply to conditional statements. A conditional statement is "if x then y." You can only infer x or y under certain conditions. This is not to be confused with biconditional statements, "if and only if x then y." In a biconditional statement, if you know either x or y, you can validly infer the other. An example is "in modern times, it is Halloween and only if it is October 31st." If you know if the date either is Oct 31, you can deduce it is Halloween. If you know the date is Halloween, you can deduce it is Oct 31. Carpe Datum and Semper Sci! [Sgt Scholar Actual] Let's Promote #skepticism (not contrarian doubt) #criticalthinking #logic #evidence #science #STEM #scicomm #education #metacognition #selfawareness #dialogue #philosophy #reason #wisdom Let's Attenuate #pseudoscience #snakeoil unfounded #conspiracytheories #bullshit #fallacies #cognitivebiases #misinformation #disinformation https://www.instagram.com/p/CVQygDThv51/?utm_medium=tumblr

[sgtscholar]

This might stirrup some groans. [Sgt Scholar Actual] #badsciencejokes #biology #biologyjokes #genetics #puns #badpuns #dadjokes #DNA #STEM #science #nerdjokes #nerdhumor #badjokes https://www.instagram.com/p/CVOQiOohUpo/?utm_medium=tumblr

[sgtscholar]

The #stoic philosopher, Marcus Aurelius. Carpe Datum and Semper Sci! [Sgt Scholar Actual] Let's Promote #skepticism (not contrarian doubt) #criticalthinking #logic #evidence #science #STEM #scicomm #education #metacognition #selfawareness #dialogue #philosophy #reason #wisdom Let's Attenuate #pseudoscience #snakeoil unfounded #conspiracytheories #bullshit #fallacies #cognitivebiases #misinformation #disinformation https://www.instagram.com/p/CVNqnClFoCa/?utm_medium=tumblr

[sgtscholar]

Yeah, I said it. [Sgt Scholar Actual] #VaccinesBringUsCloser #VaccinesSaveLives #MilitaryHumor #veteran #marines #CombatVet #USMC #funny #humor #funnytweets #science #STEM #ScienceCommunication #SciCom https://www.instagram.com/p/CVLJz5uloUk/?utm_medium=tumblr

[sgtscholar]

The tension slowly built for what seemed to be forever, but her subduction led to intense, earth-shaking orogeny. [Sgt Scholar Actual] Comic credit: Nick something? I did a quick Google search but couldn't find it. #puns #badpuns #badsciencejokes #nerdhumor #geology #earthscience #dirtyjokes #science #STEM #sciencejokes #funnycomics #talknerdytome #geologyjokes https://www.instagram.com/p/CVJ3Xh8lSSy/?utm_medium=tumblr

[sgtscholar]

The #stoic philosopher, Marcus Aurelius. Carpe Datum and Semper Sci! [Sgt Scholar Actual] Let's Promote #skepticism (not contrarian doubt) #criticalthinking #logic #evidence #science #STEM #scicomm #education #metacognition #selfawareness #dialogue #philosophy #reason #wisdom Let's Attenuate #pseudoscience #snakeoil unfounded #conspiracytheories #bullshit #fallacies #cognitivebiases #misinformation #disinformation https://www.instagram.com/p/CVIoQUVFEKq/?utm_medium=tumblr