Post AFjfcxwoW7EGMsdR8y by strawberryfieldsforever@koyu.space
 (DIR) More posts by strawberryfieldsforever@koyu.space
 (DIR) Post #AFjfcxN0fEaaZpsqKu by thebiologist1117@mk.nixnet.social
       2022-01-23T15:01:09.136Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       The war of reliable sources wages on...
       
 (DIR) Post #AFjfcxwoW7EGMsdR8y by strawberryfieldsforever@koyu.space
       2022-01-23T15:09:05Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       @thebiologist1117 I first thought you were referring to the CNN show Reliable Sources. :blobcatgiggle:​What do you think makes for a reliable source, and how does one verify a fact? ☺️ #ReliableSources
       
 (DIR) Post #AFjfd1yjWv8orzZ1gu by inference@pleroma.inferencium.net
       2022-01-23T15:12:33.949888Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       @strawberryfieldsforever @thebiologist1117 You do your own research, follow a chain of trust, and cross-reference everything stated by every source in that chain.Ultimately, it's up to you to decide.
       
 (DIR) Post #AFjk2ywXpya2nmAbtA by thebiologist1117@mk.nixnet.social
       2022-01-23T15:53:14.118Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       @strawberryfieldsforever@koyu.spaceI've never seen it!When You Need a SourceHmm... It depends on what you need a source for.(OK-ish example) Anyone can verify that gravity exists because when they drop something it falls.It might be more complex than that, but only to someone with expert knowledge of gravity.However, if I'm making a claim (things fall when I drop them)—that can be easily verified by anyone and so it doesn't need a special source.As the Complexity of the Topic Increases, Better Sources Are RequiredThe more complex the thing you're making a claim about is, the more credible your source needs to be.Tying It Back to COVID-19If I claim "masks completely protect people from getting COVID-19" I would need a reliable source to claim that, since I'm not a COVID-19 expert.If I was a COVID-19 expert, then I might be able to claim that without a source.My Definition of a Reliable SourceCOVID-19 is also a great example of when people need reliable sources. I would say a reliable source is a source that is:1. Widely trusted2. Has a reason for being able to make the claims it does (being an expert, for example)A reliable source is not a random person or people on the internet. It has to come from somewhere that is widely known by many people to have good information.It is also not a news article. News articles are pushed out like new iPhones. It's more important for a news agency to cover a topic quickly than it is to report reliable information. News reporters are also not experts. They report information from experts and sometimes they don't understand the explanation the experts give for different things.What Happens When People Don't Stick to Reliable SourcesIf people don't stick to reliable sources, then disinformation can be spread.If disinformation is spread about a sensitive topic (such as COVID-19) then it can become a disaster (people saying masks don't work, that vaccines don't work, etc).==Making the Distinction Between Two QuestionsI would say that "who can you trust to give accurate information" and "how can one personally verify a fact" are two different questions.For some things, facts are unclear (the field is too complicated to be understood by someone without specialized knowledge).In that case, one has to trust someone who does understand or else they risk believing disinformation, and even worse, spreading it.Responding to Potential CounterargumentsEveryone is susceptible to disinformation, including very intelligent people. This is not about a person's intelligence.This is also not about blindly trusting information. Information should be questioned and verified, but in the cases where it can't be, then good sources are necessary.
       
 (DIR) Post #AFjk2zNqCUPmAQwPR2 by thebiologist1117@mk.nixnet.social
       2022-01-23T16:00:37.634Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       @strawberryfieldsforever@koyu.spaceReliable means "able to be trusted without personally verifying" (conducting your own tests, etc).An expert gravity scientist would be an example of a reliable source for gravity claims.The World Health Organization is an example of a reliable source for disease-related claims.
       
 (DIR) Post #AFjk344An2eYgsmGyO by inference@pleroma.inferencium.net
       2022-01-23T16:02:11.837291Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       @thebiologist1117 @strawberryfieldsforever > The World Health Organization is an example of a reliable source for disease-related claims.Until you find out that they're not, and they used that trust during their early 2020 stage of corruption.