Percent Logic – Belief equals Truth…

Greetings Dear Reader,

…or does it?  One of the ways in which we fail to respect the science of statistics is when we force the data to reflect our position.   This misuse of statistics is called a statistical fallacy.  

I am going to lapse into educator mode for a moment.  The basis of cognitive learning is the gaining of knowledge, leading to understanding, then to application.  Statistics are used to help us understand things.  When we create statistical fallacies we limit or even manipulate understanding.

Some of the ways in which this is done are discarding favorable data, asking loaded questions, using biased samples, asserting a false causality, data dredging, and many more manipulations.  There is ample reading out there on this topic if one cares to pursue it.   The point is that when we intentionally misuse or skew data we create false understanding that leads to false application.

The process works like this:

I believe X is true

I skew my data so that it proves X

You are told that X is true.

It should work like this:

I believe X is true.

I gather, analyze, and report honest data.

I adjust what I believe based on the honest data.

I say all this with an open an honest caveat.  Some things require belief and cannot be proven or disproven.  In honesty we also must consider that Aristotelian logic is not the only type of valid reasoning.  There are other forms of reasoning that are valid.  Truth that cannot be found in statistics may be found in other forms of reasoning such as metaphorical logic.  We will touch on that later.

For now we need to focus on the principle that the use of statistical reasoning must be honest and avoid fallacies.  We may gain followers through statistical manipulation but we build our foundations on shaky ground when we do so.  Those inside my faith have done this and caused great damage. 

I have a dear friend who has walked away from faith because of this.  He actively pursues proof for his unbelief because of the harm done him by false data used to represent God.  It is necessary to view honest data.  It is also necessary to realize that we cannot prove some things.  Most importantly God does not command that we prove his existence.  He requires that we follow in faith.

I was reminded by a dear friend yesterday that this is not as easy for others as it is for me.  It is not up to me to prove that the Father wants you to see the Son Dear Reader.  It is up to me to follow in love and grace so that faith becomes an undeniable certainty. 

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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