(Estimated reading time: 8 minutes)
What comes to your mind when you hear the word idol? Perhaps a material or object of worship and devotion? Or it could be an artist or a performer whom you really like and admire. Kpop? When we search for its definition, an idol can refer to (1) an object of extreme devotion or (2) a representation or symbol of an object of worship.
But let us focus on another definition, that is, an idol as a false conception. Just as objects of devotion and reverence influence our beliefs and behaviors, so are those formed in our minds. They can change our attitudes and perspective. We pattern ourselves to the ideals that we deem are good or right from the objects or persons we glorify or admire.
One philosophical work that expounded this is from Sir Francis Bacon, a Renaissance philosopher credited to be the first to define the modern scientific method. Most of his works in philosophy emphasize the rejection of established dogmas towards progressive inquiries and modernizing the advancement of knowledge.
In one of his works in philosophy, the Novum Organum, he gave four idols that he said we humans must guard ourselves against. Let us see what he has to tell us about these idols and examine the practical ways we can use this knowledge in our lives.
The Idols of the Tribe
The idols of the tribe result from human nature and are inherent in the mind. We tend to think that the human sense is the standard by which we should measure all observations. We make unsupported assumptions because we let our imaginations and emotions influence our perceptions. We create erroneous abstractions, exaggerations, distortions, and disproportions in our judgments.
When we believe something is true, we seek more proof to support our belief; this hinders finding truth objectively because we tend to exclude anything that contradicts them. We rely on what we "feel" is true and good. We value our opinions more. And we give meaning to our personal experiences as something absolute and universal. Think about how you look at the stars and the thought that they influence your life to some degree. Or just because you are not drowning in a flood that climate disruption is not happening.
The Idols of the Cave/Den
Like what we can read in Plato's The Allegory of the Cave, the idols of the cave are those that emerge from the human mind. These idols are personal biases that arise from an individual's upbringing, education, and personal experiences. Individuals tend to favor certain theories or perspectives based on their personal inclinations or limitations. Individual ideas wander around in a tunnel of limited perception influenced by habits, education, environment, chance, and character. Someone who devotes his attention to a specific area of knowledge has the propensity to interpret all that he sees and observes based on the interest that captivated that person.
People see things in the light of their own knowledge. When we put our focus on the particular, we tend to forget the general. We classify objects by similar features but miss all other aspects. The mind can be preoccupied with finding what happened in the past or what will happen in the future. By this, we tend to forget the value of "now." We let the impressions we see in a person because of a single trait influence how we see them and we fail to know them in truth.
The Idols of the Marketplace
These idols are errors caused when we give incorrect meanings to words or falsely use a word. Imagine a busy marketplace or a bazaar: a place where not only money, currencies, and goods are exchanged, but also stories and ideas. Men shape words according to their beliefs and use them to express those beliefs to others. Words are, therefore, substitutes for thoughts. Humans tend to believe that they will win arguments by out-talking anyone else that contradicts them. Using words without regarding their actual and real meaning creates misconceptions. Words can conceal intent and hide the very idea that they convey truly.
Ever had a conversation with someone where you both use the same word but think of different meanings? Ever misused a word? Saying one but thinking of another? Not giving careful regard when using words and knowing their true meaning, being imprecise, and the ambiguous use of words can create misunderstandings and confusion.
Idols of the Theater
These idols are the result of false philosophical systems and dogmas that have been accepted and propagated over time. We can see such idols in theology (religions), the sciences, politics, and philosophical reasoning. They play "roles" on the "world stage." When supported by the majority and gained a level of consensus, people accept beliefs without any question or inquiry.
Many religions rely on scriptures and hold them as the source of eternal truths without thoroughly examining them or considering other sources. As we can observe, religions promote ethical codes, like forgiveness instead of vengeance. But some of the worst atrocities in the history of humankind were done in the name of religion.
Political systems and parties are also narrow sources of knowledge and understanding. Most stands in political parties draw on popular thoughts and public opinions rather than objective facts. Limitations can hinder proper functioning in a political system, far from what we might expect from a good political theory. An example is our own democracy, where "all the people" should have a stake in decision-making. But what we can only have is a limited and indirect representation. This system removes the political process away from the people. It drains considerable power from the real foundation of democracy. Or in communism, where people ought to act and work in specific ways. But in reality, it never happens as expected, and abuses are imminent in such a system.
Even education cannot escape the idols of the theater. Stagnant ideas and prejudices of the teachers and educators can hinder the impartial transfer of knowledge. Think of a time when you were exposed to an idea for a long time and accepted it until such time they were proven to be false. The argument boils down to the fact that reliance on authority and tradition when it comes to the pursuit of knowledge can impede progress.
What do these Idols remind us?
The idols remind us of cognitive dissonance and confirmation bias. We know that certain elements apart from our being can affect our judgment, and things can influence us in making better decisions.
Cognitive dissonance occurs when what we do, experience, or observe does not align with our beliefs. Or when new information challenges our opinion. We want consistency in our attitudes and behavior, and conflicts give rise to distress. This inconsistency, in turn, will make people seek actions to minimize, if not eliminate, the discomfort that they feel. The most common reactions to this are denial or justification. We might deny that there are "real" inconsistencies between our actions and beliefs. We persuade ourselves that no conflicts exist. Or, we seek information that will justify the apparent disparities that we experience or observe.
Personal beliefs are the primary source of our dissonance. And the more we put those beliefs in high regard, the greater the dissonance they cause. Also, the greater the disparity that we observe or experience, the more dissonance there will be. Note that this is not always present in people with opposing beliefs. Most people with cognitive dissonance are aware of their inconsistencies and feel substantial discomfort due to it. One classic example is when a person is aware of the dangers is smoking but continues to do so. Another is promoting a healthy lifestyle but failing to practice it.
As said, we tend to justify our beliefs. We seek more information to support our long-held notions. And the internet fuels such confirmation bias. Due to the design of search engines, they only give information related to a particular topic and avoid results that are unrelated or complete opposites of what you are searching for. That is called search engine bias. And as you see more reasons that support what you believe, the more you will ignore other explanations.
People tend to see how faulty those arguments that contradict their own beliefs are but fail to see the flaws on their side. Also, information bubbles present in social media and other echo chambers will make you walled up with messages that you already agreed with and will make you shielded from other information available. Just think of how some people convince others that vaccines can't protect us and are, as they say, even harmful to us. (Vaccines save lives.)
One danger that entails this is how we create our self-concept. Because we favor our own beliefs, we might think that we are better persons than anyone else- kinder, more knowledgeable, more experienced, experts. And our affiliations- political parties, religions, communities- reinforce our biases.
The more we try to challenge or disprove dissonances and biases, the greater the tendency for a misconception to be strengthened. We don't want any slight to our ego. It is difficult for us to accept that what we believe for so long has been wrong the whole time. Even if shreds of evidence present themselves but run counter to what we believe, they are likely to be discarded.
That is how our society right now is dealing with the idols mentioned above. And it is a challenge to every one of us. If we want to be sure that we only tell factual, reasonable, and truthful information, we must be aware of ourselves. Let us think about what we believe, why we believe them, and how our beliefs affect our actions. Let us have a deeper understanding of the issue. There are ways to check if the information we find is honest and trustworthy. Be open to other possible explanations. If we can do so, let us reconcile our beliefs with our actions. That way, we will not fall into any idols that lead to fallacies and misconceptions.
What Idols have to do with Cognitive Biases and Dissonance by Leandro Angelo Castro is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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