A practical checklist for grading claims by source quality, corroboration, incentive, and falsifiability.
Truth-seeking is a discipline, not a vibe. A workable method: (1) Identify the claim type — fact, interpretation, or value. (2) Trace it to a primary source, not a summary of a summary. (3) Check source quality and incentive — who is speaking, and what do they gain? (4) Look for independent corroboration, especially from hostile or disinterested sources. (5) Ask what would falsify the claim, and whether anyone has tried. (6) Calibrate confidence to the evidence and say so explicitly. Applied consistently, this resists both naive belief and reflexive cynicism.
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