My reaction to this “Ladder of Inference” is to grin in realization of how often I fall into this very way of thinking. In the provided text, I found the line line “our ability to achieve the results we truly desire is eroded by our feelings that:
- (1) Our beliefs are the truth
- (2) the truth is obvious
- (3) our beliefs are based on real data
- (4) The data we select are the real deal”
to be very crucial in understanding that there is so much bias that goes into every day choices, assumptions and activities. It made me wonder the question of how reliable our sensory data is. Even if we can scientifically understand how we can misinterpret things and what happens that leads our senses to be deceived. I’m thinking of the stick in water problem. How can we fully understand how our presuppositions change what we perceive and how we interpret the same data. It makes the idea that we can come to know the form of the object itself very questionable for me.
What is even more disturbing for me is the idea that the way we think can be changed to such an extent. If the basis of a ‘rational’ argument is influenced by terms which are constantly changing to each person using them how can a fundamentally rational or logical argument hold. It seems like it would be very difficult to say something concrete about many things. Thinking with Descartes, it is very easy to doubt what one holds to be true. If much of how one thinks can be characterized as being on some part of this ladder of inference, where is a solid foundation?
Finally, practically speaking I found this ladder of inference to be a great asset to my daily life. I want to see this way of thinking taught to people as a standardized method to be mindful of the self. At least in my own life, continuing to pursue this mindfulness and looking inward perhaps not in the stoic method alone but in a more understanding way of how I am influenced and how I influence what I see is helpful.
Meta-Pres Site 