Truth

I know someone who doesn’t believe in climate change because Al Gore flies on private jets. That’s a terrible argument. Gore’s carbon footprint has nothing to do with whether carbon dioxide traps heat in the atmosphere. The science stands regardless of who delivers the message. But here’s what bothers me: bad arguments don’t just fail to convince people. They make good conclusions look suspicious. When you hear a weak argument for something true, it plants doubt about the truth itself....

I used to think confidence meant truth. If someone spoke with certainty, they probably knew what they were talking about. If I felt certain about something, I was probably right. This is backwards. Certainty is a feeling. Truth is a fact. They’re completely different categories. I can feel certain that my keys are on the kitchen counter. Walk to the kitchen. No keys. My certainty was real. My belief was false....