We STAN science icon Galileo Galilei! 🔭🌌🌠🪐

But just because you have a different opinion than everyone else, doesn’t make you right.

We present the Galileo Gambit. Misinformers love to compare themselves to Galileo, who was famously persecuted because he said the earth orbits around the sun and not the other way around.

They would have you believe that, because their ideas go against the establishment, or risk their job, their credibility, or their safety, then they must be right.

The logic goes like this:

• Galileo was persecuted and was correct.
• I feel persecuted.
• Conclusion: I am correct.

Let’s use the same logic on something else to help spot the flaw.

• Steve is tall and wears blue socks.
• I am tall.
• Conclusion: I wear blue socks??

Clearly that’s not good reasoning. Tall people wear all sorts of different socks!

For every Galileo (who, by the way, had rigorous scientific EVIDENCE for his claims) there are a thousands of Steves* who got it wrong.

Remember this next time a supposed expert makes claims that go against the grain. Before you share, stop and think, “Is this accurate?”

*no disrespect to any Steves out there!

References:

1. https://tinyurl.com/SUFGalileo1
2. https://tinyurl.com/SUFGalileo2