Chapter 15, Theses 1, 2 and 3

Added: 2026-05-24

[00:00:00]As mentioned in the mission statement, at this point in time, we are a very polarized nation, which is the result of the advent of the 247 news cycle and social media and the internet. We have information at our fingertips.

[00:00:13]Such massive amounts of information make it very easy and almost necessary for us to apply a confirmation bias to select sources that confirm that bias.

[00:00:23]The confirmation bias is an evolutionary genetic human trait which began when the hardwired cognitive bias neurologically developed in the brains of our ancestors.

[00:00:34]We now have a neuro reality based on our hardwired cognitive biases which we now project with confirmation bias that resulted in the argumentative state of mind which is stoked by our tribal instinct and warrior ethos which is now present in our society as evidenced by the polarization of our nation.

[00:00:55]Which brings us to thesis one.

[00:01:05]Maybe if we become aware of our evolutionarily selected cognitive biases that resulted in our confirmation biases which led to the argumentative state of mind and is fired up by our tribal and warrior ethos. All of which have caused our political polarization. We can rein in these genetically selected and neurologically expressed human traits that have evolved over millions of years.

[00:01:32]Perhaps we can take a step back, try and detach ourselves from this genetic predisposition and try be try and be a bit more rational rather than emotional in our political positions and discussions.

[00:01:46]Seek truth rather than argument. listen and reduce the amount of polarization and vitriol present in our society.

[00:01:55]Can we as citizens overcome this predisposition and lead our democratic republic as the founders intended?

[00:02:02]Recall what Ben Franklin said after exiting the constitutional convention when asked what sort of government the delegates had created. His answer was, "We've given you a republic. Can you keep it?"

[00:02:15]With synthesis, the answer is yes, we can recall that science is the study and understanding of the real world based on fact and truth. But there are many questions that science cannot answer.

[00:02:30]And that is a place for religion to answer with faith.

[00:02:33]Perhaps for those questions that science can't answer, science and scientific fact and truth could be part of a religion, keeping intact those critical aspects of religion as a social institution that provides group cohesion, moral behavior, and rais further. Perhaps science and the understanding of the world based on fact and truth could be part of your religion with those questions that cannot be answered by science answered within a particular faith or your own faith your religion.

[00:03:07]That is thesis two.

[00:03:15]Religion is an understanding of the real world based on scientific fact and truth.

[00:03:22]but believing in the existence of God to explain the unknowable with aspects of existing religion or faith of one's own choice or accepting the unknowable as such.

[00:03:34]And here is thesis three.

[00:03:42]Only we the people can synthesize.

[00:03:45]Only we can create and integrate the wisdoms of history into present culture.

[00:03:50]Recall that computers can process and correlate billions of bits of information per second. Whereas the human brain at the consciousness level is very limited in that capacity.

[00:04:00]Also note that the human brain can integrate many pieces of related information and create new and original ideas, not just coralates.

[00:04:10]Looking at Bloom's taxonomy, computers can remember, understand, apply, analyze, and even evaluate information.

[00:04:22]But at the top of Bloom's taxonomy, only the human brain can create new and original ideas, integrating many pieces of information from a wide variety of historic sources, and come up with something completely new and of possible value to society.

[00:04:39]restated, computers cannot and will not be able to synthesize to integrate the wisdoms of history into present culture. Only we, the people, can do that.