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Definition: Confirmation bias occurs when we selectively notice or focus upon evidence which tends to support the things we already believe or want to be true while ignoring that evidence which would serve to disconfirm those beliefs or ideas. Confirmation bias plays a stronger role when it comes to those beliefs which are based upon prejudice, faith or tradition than on empirical evidence.
For example, if we believe that someone can speak to others' deceased relatives, then we will notice when they say things which are accurate or pleasant, but forget how often that person has said things which are simply incorrect. The confirmation bias is simply a natural aspect of our own, personal biases - and it is because of this that science incorporates the principle of independent confirmation and testing of one's ideas and experiments. It is the hallmark of science that a claim can be supported independent of personal bias, but it is a hallmark of pseudoscience that only true believers will discover the "evidence" which supports their claims.
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What is Atheism?
The definition of atheism causes many people problems. Too often, people have the wrong idea of what atheism really is and what atheists really beleive.What is Agnosticism?
Misunderstandings about agnosticism are just as frequent as misunderstandings about atheism.
