Mark Twain famously (though probably apocryphally) mentioned we should always by no means let the reality get in the way in which of a great story. Archaelogists may beg to vary, notably when the story in query is a dramatic rewriting of human historical past that – because the president of the Society of American Archaeology, Daniel Sandweiss, has famous – has a long-standing hyperlink with racist ideologies.
This narrative claims that the acquainted historic civilisations of Eurasia, Africa and the Americas drew inspiration from a mysterious superior tradition that predated all of them. Archaeologists are assured that no such civilisation ever existed, however they’re additionally conscious that persuading believers to reject the story is a tricky activity.
Nevertheless, as we discover in our interview with archaeologist Flint Dibble in “The archaeologist fighting claims about an advanced lost civilisation”, they could have discovered a successful technique within the type of the “truth sandwich”. On this debating method, archaeologists first start by discussing actual info, what their analysis has revealed in regards to the previous. Then they sort out the false info – on this case explaining how the details depart no room for this misplaced civilisation – earlier than returning to and re-emphasising the true info.
Fact sandwiches’ look like good at combating misinformation in some contexts however not others
The reality sandwich gained recognition after it was formalised by linguist George Lakoff in 2018. It’s tempting to imagine that it might probably persuade audiences to desert perception in false narratives. However can it? One of the simplest ways to seek out out, in fact, is thru managed experiments. The primary such analysis has now been carried out, and it presents a combined image. Fact sandwiches seem to be efficient in sure contexts however not in others, the place alternative ways to construction an argument are extra persuasive.
These conflicting outcomes might sound problematic, however they’re really proof of scientific inquiry at work – a course of that includes testing concepts and refining hypotheses in gentle of recent knowledge. It’s only this strategy that may actually uncover one of the simplest ways to sort out misinformation. Or, to place it one other method, science ought to by no means let a great story get in the way in which of the reality.
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