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Judge Napolitano Brings In Science Historian To Explain ‘Why People Believe Weird Stuff’

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While most cable news discussions today look at the substantive aspects of an issue, many leave one scratching one’s head with how one or another party could stick to their beliefs in the situation. Why are some people not amenable to persuasion by facts? Judge Andrew Napolitano enlisted the help of science historian Michael Shermer to figure out why some “reject an obvious order in the universe.”

In this meta-debate about debates and why facts sometimes won’t win them, Shermer argued that much of the reason people often believe outrageous things and refuse to change their opinions based on facts is due to human “tribal nature,” and the fact that confirmation bias– acknowledging facts that prove one’s beliefs and ignoring the rest– can make a person believe they have the facts on their side. “We hold to those beliefs our tribe believes,” Shermer argued.

Judge Napolitano then turned the conversation to the subject of rights, and how rights can be immutable no matter what government they arise in. Shermer acknowledged that he was a “natural rights person” who believes that rights pre-exist laws. He also agreed with the virtues of selfishness proposed by Ayn Rand, though not feeling too comfortable with the word and arguing that people were also “giving and altruistic” by nature.

The segment via Fox Business below:

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  • http://gordonbloyershow.com gordonbloyershow

    I missed the show. Did he explain why people believe in human caused climate change when no evidence exists to support the ridiculous claim?

  • Glackin

    Nappy? Weird stuff? Like “Truthers”?
    YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!!!!!

  • NonElite

    gordonbloyershow said:
    I missed the show. Did he explain why people believe in human caused climate change when no evidence exists to support the ridiculous claim?

    It’s the “tribe” of the Climate Cult who believe that we are omnipotent and that we can beat nature into submission with billions of taxpayer dollars. Sure we contribute to the climate and sure we need to be more careful about how we treat the environment. However, there are no cures on the table that justify destroying the world economy and subjugating the citizenry to the ruling class that claims they can “fix it”. Short of killing off two thirds of the Earth’s population, they can’t make any significant reductions in gasses. Perhaps reducing the population by means of the economy is their cure. Starving people to death would certainly do the trick.
    I’m curious about how they plan to use all that money to stop solar flares and regulate the orbit of the Earth around the sun. The arrogance is astounding.

  • Glackin

    NonElite said:
    It’s the “tribe” of the Climate Cult who believe that we are omnipotent and that we can beat nature into submission with billions of taxpayer dollars. Sure we contribute to the climate and sure we need to be more careful about how we treat the environment. However, there are no cures on the table that justify destroying the world economy and subjugating the citizenry to the ruling class that claims they can “fix it”. Short of killing off two thirds of the Earth’s population, they can’t make any significant reductions in gasses. Perhaps reducing the population by means of the economy is their cure. Starving people to death would certainly do the trick.
    I’m curious about how they plan to use all that money to stop solar flares and regulate the orbit of the Earth around the sun. The arrogance is astounding.

    4% of the world’s population create 25% of the world’s pollution.
    And, we are already staving people to death around the world.

  • http://gordonbloyershow.com gordonbloyershow

    Glackin said:
    4% of the world’s population create 25% of the world’s pollution.And, we are already staving people to death around the world.

    You need to get over being the “citizen of the world” crap. Most of the rest of the world is made up of backward ignorant people led by dictators, phony monarchs and tribal leaders that don’t want their people educated or brought into the 21st centrury.
    We don’t owe them anything and we don’t have any obligation to take care of them. We don’t have to take ourselves backward to live down to their standards.
    The world is more polluted from the backward nations than ours.
    The people that are starving have nothing to do with how WE live. It has to do with how THEY live. It has to do with THEIR governments and the failure to introduce capitalism to their countries.
    If YOU want to help move to where the starving people are and teach them how to farm and fish. It will help us and them.

  • NonElite

    Glackin said:
    4% of the world’s population create 25% of the world’s pollution.And, we are already staving people to death around the world.

    I believe you will find that China and India have beed cited as big poluters and they have well over 4% of the world’s population. I’m not sure what you are quoting.

  • Glackin

    NonElite said:
    I believe you will find that China and India have beed cited as big poluters and they have well over 4% of the world’s population. I’m not sure what you are quoting.

    The US, nimrod. Are you also defending Weiner? “Others do it, too!”?
    Now all your buddies will know you are a closet prog.

  • trogocytosis

    gordonbloyershow said:
    I missed the show. Did he explain why people believe in human caused climate change when no evidence exists to support the ridiculous claim?

    What is the purpose behind disqualifying climate change due to humans, political gain? Refer to the EPA website or type in “climate change” on the pubmed website, you will notice there are significant institutes and research which show data in support of the climate change hypothesis.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Charles-B-Dorsett-Jr/1444122561 Charlie D

    Interesting comments by Michael Shermer (“confirmation bias– acknowledging facts that prove one’s beliefs and ignoring the rest– can make a person believe they have the facts on their side”) but it’s too bad he had to turn it into a bit of liberal-bashing. It’s not always “the other guy” who has his facts all upside down.

  • george L

    I am an absolute believer in the tribal consensus that Shermer talks about.
    The two prominent tribes are Fox News viewers and MSNBC watchers. They do have different “facts.”

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Bobby-A-Kearan/700101528 Bobby A Kearan

    ROFLOL! You mean why do people believe weird stuff like “Trickle Down” economics – even though the 30 year experiment has proven to be a total and complete failure? “Cutting taxes raises revenue” LOL!

    I find it hilarious that people who refuse to be convinced by fact and logic use the reason they fail critical thinking to actually support their lunacy.

    They probably believe that Corporations can pass income tax costs on to consumers too. ROFLOL!!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Stephen-Hogan/179500970 Stephen Hogan

    I’m not sure how one can say that they agree with Ayn Rand and still believe that humans are altruistic by nature.

  • Just4thefax

    Fact: Get rid of the cows they are the big polluters

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