In college, in the early 1950s, I began to learn a little about how science works, the secrets of its great success, how rigorous the standards of evidence must be if we are really to know something is true, how many false starts and dead ends have plagued human thinking, how our biases can colour our interpretation of evidence, and how often belief systems widely held and supported by the political, religious and academic hierarchies turn out to be not just slightly in error, but grotesquely wrong.

Summary

This quote highlights the importance of scientific rigor and the potential pitfalls of human thinking. The speaker describes their college experience in the 1950s and how they learned about the stringent standards of evidence required in science. They also emphasize how biases can lead to skewed interpretations of evidence. Furthermore, the quote reveals how widely-held belief systems supported by authoritative institutions can sometimes be fundamentally flawed. Overall, it serves as a reminder to approach knowledge and beliefs with skepticism and a commitment to rigorous examination.

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