Navigating the oceans of (dis)information
Instead of collecting information like a computer, gather experiences as a human being.
An excerpt from my recent interview for Umno.mk
We live in an era of abundant information, which often comes bundled with misinformation. How can we help a young person (a high school student, a college student) distinguish what is accurate from what is not when studying a specific subject? What should they believe in and what should they be cautious about?
The internet promised unlimited access to information, but the price we paid is overcommunication. Unfortunately, the human brain is not capable of navigating such an ocean of information, regardless of its accuracy. Personally, I would prefer to receive one false piece of information rather than hundreds of correct ones, because the first one is easy to verify, while the latter can overwhelm and paralyze me. What if the next piece of information is the crucial one? Should I gather a hundred more before acting? I believe it is essential to first learn how to cope with the information overload, and only then deal with its accuracy. In doing so, having an experienced mentor or tutor can make a big difference. Mentors are like life jackets that keep you afloat and prevent you from getting lost in the depths. Only after learning how to swim can you start diving below the surface.
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon to encounter inaccurate information even in textbooks. How should a professor handle such a situation?
Inaccurate information is easily refutable, especially when it concerns something old enough to be found in a textbook. For formulas and definitions, it is enough to check Wikipedia, and you will know if there is an error. The bigger challenge lies with partial information, i.e. information that is technically not inaccurate, but presents only one side of the "lesson." These partial pieces of information are the true challenge for professors. How do you teach students to think critically and develop their own opinions based on several partial, often contradictory pieces of information? The best professors accomplish this by using their own experience and by looking up to their mentors. If you’ve had a good mentor, there is a high chance that you will become a good mentor to future generations.
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you questioned the credibility and accuracy of what you were learning?
Literally every day, because science is filled with misinformation and half-truths. This uncertainty is also science’s greatest charm: you express a doubt (hypothesis) and then seek evidence to confirm or refute it. When I read a scientific paper, my initial instinct is to not believe what is written. Sometimes the authors manage to convince me that they are right, and when that happens, I feel like I've had an enlightenment. In fact, every revolutionary scientific discovery has been characterized as fake news at some point, because good science cannot exist without doubt.
Do you easily fall for misinformation, and if so, how do you deal with the challenge?
No one is immune to misinformation, and language models like ChatGPT manage to trick me almost every day. Here's a recipe for dealing with this problem: if a piece of information irritates you greatly, calm down and seek the same information from another independent source. If a piece of information greatly pleases you, be even more skeptical. Verify it from at least two more sources before celebrating. All information is partial, and there is always an aspect that you haven't considered. Instead of collecting information like a computer, gather experiences like a human being, because only an experienced person is a well-informed person.
P.S.
People try and drag us down
So we learn to swim before we drown
Sick and tired, and I don't know why
Skin and bone won't touch the sky
Sex and lies can't bring me down
Because I've sold my soul all over town
And I'm so in awe of you
That I don't know what to do
And I'm sailing on the seven seas so blue