How do you «confront your biases to see the world from another point of view?»

How do you «confront your biases to see the world from another point of view?»

by Евгений Волков -
Number of replies: 0

How do you "confront your biases to see the world from another point of view?"

https://www.quora.com/How-do-you-confront-your-biases-to-see-the-world-from-another-point-of-view

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5 Answers

David Moore
 

By embracing paradox and irony. Whatever ‘makes sense’ to you defines your own point of view. Whatever is related but non-identical to your own view will appear as one or both of these things. That which is unrelated (ie a completely different object) will appear as nonsense. The reason for this is the basic logical consistency of our cognition - we cannot deny ourselves. Therefore, we can only disagree with others.

Trying to answer questions like“Is truth false?” or “Why do we ask questions?” can be good exercises in bias-breaking. I like to say ‘the proof is always in the question’ because every question must present the key identities and relationships it means an answerer to explore. True answers correctly construe these identities and relationships. False ones construe them incorrectly. How will we know the difference? By comparison. But comparison to what? The answer imagined by the asker. For this reason, the only way we can recognise our own biased perspectives are being challenged (unless we own the concepts in question - like I own "semantic despair") is via the perception of paradox and irony.

 
Richard Tanner
 

Confronting one’s biases is not as easy at sounds. There are 3 steps we need to take before we can even begin.

FIRST, just as an alcoholic can only begin the road to recovery when they can admit before others, “I am an alcoholic”, we need to acknowledge that every point of view we have is biased. Bias simply means that we are situated in a unique place in terms of our culture, upbringing, limitations, etc. and we can only evaluate reality from that place. Unfortunately, most people, when they are told they are biased, will protest, “I am NOT biased. I go by the facts and if you can’t see those facts as I do, then there must be something wrong with you.” Once we get into the habit of acknowledging and disclosing our biases, we are on the way to seeing other points of view.

THE NEXT STEP is also difficult. We need to listen and try to put ourselves in another person’s place, seeing the world through their eyes. We need to walk a mile in their moccasins. Again, most people are unwilling to do that. Is a Republican willing to look at the world through a Democrat’s eyes? Is an atheist willing to look at the world through a theist’s eyes? Is a man willing to look at reality through a woman’s eyes?

AND THE THIRD STEP, again not easy to do, is to get into the habit of doing this on a daily basis for the rest of our lives. So, when someone cuts you off on the highway, your first reaction becomes not, “What’s wrong with that jerk?” but “This is what that other driver is feeling and thinking …” Or when Trump says something absurd, instead of judging and dismissing him, we try to understand the worldview, life experience and pressures that may have led him to say such a thing.

 
Menique Aviles
 

Try to prove yourself wrong.

Pretend you're in a debate and counter with the strongest arguments against what you actually believe.

Argue against yourself with every bit of ferocity you would argue against someone else. Demand evidence to back claims and don't passively accept anything. If you get really into this, you can even make every abstract concept as defined as possible.

If your original belief can hold up under that assault, it's probably worth keeping.

 
Andi Alexander
 

Well you can’t really change POV can you? You can see from your perspective as much as possible trying to understand from another’s, but you can never delete your POV completely. I think the answer is to be as aware of possible of your own feelings, thoughts and biases so you will st least realize what you are contributing to the experience.

 
Seff Preston
 

That really depends on the bias I think. I’ve spent the past couple years calling this article my bible: List of cognitive biases - Wikipedia

To compensate for any bias on that list entailed refuting everything I thought I knew. It required a level of uncertainty regarding the world that is uncomfortable to say the least. That uncertainty though, I think that’s the root of change.

Only by rejecting all preconceptions can one take on a new perspective and build a new set of preconceptions. Of course those too must pass.

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