1. Reasons for Belief and Doubt
Chapter 4
Reasons for Belief and Doubt

2. When Claims Conflict
If a claim conflicts with other claims we have good reason to accept, we have good grounds for doubting it.
If a claim conflicts with our background information, we have good reason to doubt it.

3. Belief and Evidence We should proportion our belief to the evidence.
It’s not reasonable to believe a claim when there is no good reason for doing so.

4. Experts and Evidence
If a claim conflicts with expert opinion, we have good reason to doubt it.
When the experts disagree about a claim, we have good reason to doubt it.

5. Personal Experience
It’s reasonable to accept the evidence provided by personal experience only if there’s no good reason to doubt it.
Factors that can give us good reason to doubt the reliability of personal experience
Impairment
Expectation
Innumeracy

6. How We Fool Ourselves Resisting contrary evidence
Looking for confirming evidence
Preferring available evidence

7. How to Evaluate the Reliability of the News
Consider whether the report conflicts with what you have good reason to believe.
Look for reporter slanting.
Consider the source.
Check for missing information.
Look for false emphasis.
Check alternative news sources.