The perception of truth with no unnecessary distortion
Objective Thinking
by Jonathan D. Whitcomb
A high degree of objectiveness can be called wisdom. It
is not created simply by giving equal time to divergent
opinions, but when a person is objective, divergent ideas
may be considered before coming at any firm judgment.
Limited self-knowledge guarantees us not even limited
objectiveness. A clever impostor may know something
of himself but nothing of the ultimate penalty awaiting
him, so he lives in a bias and is not objective, maybe
even deceiving himself about himself, to some degree.
The first step to become objective is this: Know thyself.
We must be aware of personal motivations, if we are
to have hope of becoming objective. Without self-know-
ledge, objectiveness is beyond our reach, even beyond
our understanding of its nature.
What’s the best protection against bigotry? Cultivate an
unwavering desire for the complete truth.
Objectiveness
Silver Lake, near Brighton, Utah
copyright 2005-2017 Jonathan David Whitcomb
What you may find in pages
on objectiveness.com
Some of what you’ll find on this site may seen strange or
unorthodox. Living bioluminescent pterodactyls may seen
paranormal. Cryptozoology may seem unscientific. Dragon
legends portrayed as containing some truth—that can appear
far-fetched. But please objectively consider the reasonings
and reserve final judgment until you’ve read the whole case.
Temporary delay in transfers
As of mid-July, 2017, the great majority of web pages that
had, for years, been on objectiveness.com haven’t yet been
transferred to the new web host. It may take some time for
the transfers to take place.
Confirmation bias
and the elusive nocturnal ropen
What are the most common reactions people have when
they encounter an online publication that promotes the
idea that large Rhamphorhynchoid pterosaurs are not only
not extinct many millions of years ago but that they still
fly overhead, usually at night, in many areas of the earth?
Some skeptics will latch onto anything they can find that
will give them an excuse to ridicule and dismiss all of the
eyewitness sightings. One of those excuses is the idea that
all such ideas come from Christian Young Earth Creationists.
In reality, the eyewitnesses themselves come from a great
variety of countries, cultures, languages, and beliefs.
When a person has concluded that all species of pterosaurs
must have become extinct many millions of years ago, and
that person reads something about an eyewitness sighting
of just that kind of flying creature, the skeptic may find
that the publisher of the information appears connected
with one or more Christians of traditional religious beliefs
(or is such a believer). But look a little deeper and you may
discover that most persons who actually see those flying
creatures are not traditional Christians. Jumping to the
conclusion that the religious persons are biased or even
dishonest—that is confirmation bias when the skeptic uses
the religious belief of the publisher as a confirmation that
the skeptic has been correct regarding millions of years.
Wesley Koro is an eyewitness of a large ropen
on Umboi Island, Papua New Guinea, (around
early 1994). The featherless creature was seen
by seven boys, including Wesley, as it flew
over the surface of Lake Pung, at mid-day.
Gideon Koro, brother of Wesley, estimated
the tail was seven meters long: The animal
was definitely not a flying fox fruit bat.
Objectiveness
The perception of truth with no unnecessary distortion
Silver Lake, near Brighton, Utah
Objective Thinking
by Jonathan D. Whitcomb
A high degree of objectiveness can be called wisdom. It
is not created simply by giving equal time to divergent
opinions, but when a person is objective, divergent ideas
may be considered before coming at any firm judgment.
Limited self-knowledge guarantees us not even limited
objectiveness. A clever impostor may know something
of himself but nothing of the ultimate penalty awaiting
him, so he lives in a bias and is not objective, maybe
even deceiving himself about himself, to some degree.
The first step to become objective is this: Know thyself.
We must be aware of personal motivations, if we are
to have hope of becoming objective. Without self-know-
ledge, objectiveness is beyond our reach, even beyond
our understanding of its nature.
What’s the best protection against bigotry? Cultivate an
unwavering desire for the complete truth.
What you may find in pages
on objectiveness.com
Some of what you’ll find on this site may seen strange or
unorthodox. Living bioluminescent pterodactyls may seen
paranormal. Cryptozoology may seem unscientific. Dragon
legends portrayed as containing some truth—that can appear
far-fetched. But please objectively consider the reasonings
and reserve final judgment until you’ve read the whole case.
Temporary delay in transfers
As of mid-July, 2017, the great majority of web pages that
had, for years, been on objectiveness.com haven’t yet been
transferred to the new web host. It may take some time for
the transfers to take place.
Confirmation bias
and the elusive nocturnal ropen
What are the most common reactions people have when
they encounter an online publication that promotes the
idea that large Rhamphorhynchoid pterosaurs are not only
not extinct many millions of years ago but that they still
fly overhead, usually at night, in many areas of the earth?
Some skeptics will latch onto anything they can find that
will give them an excuse to ridicule and dismiss all of the
eyewitness sightings. One of those excuses is the idea that
all such ideas come from Christian Young Earth Creationists.
In reality, the eyewitnesses themselves come from a great
variety of countries, cultures, languages, and beliefs.
When a person has concluded that all species of pterosaurs
must have become extinct many millions of years ago, and
that person reads something about an eyewitness sighting
of just that kind of flying creature, the skeptic may find
that the publisher of the information appears connected
with one or more Christians of traditional religious beliefs
(or is such a believer). But look a little deeper and you may
discover that most persons who actually see those flying
creatures are not traditional Christians. Jumping to the
conclusion that the religious persons are biased or even
dishonest—that is confirmation bias when the skeptic uses
the religious belief of the publisher as a confirmation that
the skeptic has been correct regarding millions of years.
Wesley Koro is an eyewitness of a large ropen
on Umboi Island, Papua New Guinea, (around
early 1994). The featherless creature was seen
by seven boys, including Wesley, as it flew
over the surface of Lake Pung, at mid-day.
Gideon Koro, brother of Wesley, estimated
the tail was seven meters long: The animal
was definitely not a flying fox fruit bat.
copyright 2005-2017 Jonathan David Whitcomb