#EpistemicHumility

15/

Similar long-term value of #EpistemicHumility in #Feynman [3]

"We are at the very beginning of time for the human race. [...] Our responsibility is to do what we can, learn what we can, improve the solutions, and pass them on. [...]

If we suppress all discussion, all criticism proclaiming “This is the answer, my friends; man is saved!” we will doom humanity for a long time to the chains of authority, confined to the limits of our present imagination. It has been done so many times before"

12/

This reminds John Stuart Mill, "On liberty" [4],
noting how "The struggle between Liberty and Authority is the most conspicuous feature" in past and modern life. On why #EpistemicHumility in science:

"If even the Newtonian philosophy were not permitted to be questioned, mankind could not feel as complete assurance of its #truth as they now do.

The #beliefs which we have most warrant for, have no safeguard to rest on, but a standing invitation to the whole world to prove them unfounded."

11/

However, #Feynman wasn't sure #EpistemicHumility was truly understood by most

https://archive.org/details/feynman_201604/page/n3/mode/2up?q=%22I+would+now+like+to+turn+to+a+third+value+that+science+has%22&view=theater

"I don’t know whether everyone realizes this is true.
Our freedom to doubt was born out of a struggle against #authority in the early days of #science.
It was a very deep and strong struggle: permit us to question - to doubt - to not be sure.
I think that it is important that we do not forget this struggle and thus perhaps lose what we have gained. Herein lies a responsibility to society"

10/

#Feynman continues on #EpistemicHumility:

https://archive.org/details/feynman_201604/page/n3/mode/2up?q=%22I+would+now+like+to+turn+to+a+third+value+that+science+has%22&view=theater

"We have found it of paramount importance that in order to progress we must recognize our #ignorance and leave room for #doubt.
Scientific knowledge is a body of statements of varying degrees of certainty - some most unsure, some nearly sure, but none absolutely certain.

Now, we scientists are used to this, and we take it for granted that it is perfectly consistent to be unsure, that it is possible to live and not know."

9/

On accepting #uncertainty and doubt even within our best way towards knowledge (#EpistemicHumility), Richard #Feynman stands out

"The scientist has a lot of experience with ignorance and doubt and uncertainty, and this experience is of very great importance, I think.
When a scientist doesn’t know the answer to a problem, he is ignorant.
When he has a hunch as to what the result is, he is uncertain.
And when he is pretty darn sure of what the result is going to be, he is still in some doubt"

There are plenty of people on Earth who are perfectly respectable.
They turn away from that which is evil and do that which is good.
Their example is to be praised and emulated.
But keep in mind that even such upright people might be laid low by temptation. We should not be afraid to change our opinions of people based on new information.
We must practice #EpistemicHumility, and be willing to tell our former mentors: "You're not the person I thought you were."

@pgmj @paperbag1
And one more general one that deals with ontological problems of #Psychometrics and helps me with #EpistemicHumility
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0959354311434656

But even from within the "Rasch Family", there are doubts how far and which of these models actually are meaningful models and allow for specifically objective comparisons. For example (only direct link to pdf, sorry):
https://www.psychologie-aktuell.com/fileadmin/download/PschologyScience/2-2009/05_Scheiblechner.pdf

It's always a question and in question how far assumptions of our models can carry us.

Recently read this articl about "why we should embrace #Ontological #Humility":

https://spin.atomicobject.com/2020/05/02/ontological-humility-work/
I understand #EpistemicHumility but don't know where to put the #OntologicalHumility.

Just because we are not able to perceive the "true" #Reality, that does not mean such a thing does not exist and that we all live in our own little #AlternativeReality.

I think a much better term would be #ControlHumility for the fact that our #control capabilities do not extend beyond controlling our own internal #state.

As an illustration of the pervasive lack of control humility in our society, in a recent discussion, I've got this comment: "This controller's "internal" states just controlled you, or you would not have responded."