Danny Masterson, Jerry Sandusky, and the limits of belief

The criminal justice system is like a desktop icon. It is used, but few people understand its inner workings.

Donald D. Hoffman has an interesting idea: evolution drives truth to extinction.

As I understand his theory, the time and energy one consumes in acquiring accurate information to make a better decision, is less time and energy used to enjoy the consequences of the decision. As a group, those who make choices with less information and understanding are more likely to thrive, because there is actually very little we need to know.

As Hoffman says, the icon on your computer screen does not in any way reflect the inner workings, the “reality” of the program it represents. But we don’t have to understand them to use them.

Most of us admit we know little about how computers work. We should apply the same humility to the news. Data points may be true, but conclusions might not be true. For instance:

Data point #1: Steve McNair and Jenni Kazemi are found dead from gunshots in McNair’s apartment.

Data point #2: “ Nashville police conclude that Jenni killed Steve and then herself.”

Conclusion: Jenni killed Steve and then herself.

Really?

I don’t know for sure if Kazemi committed this crime, and the only reason to believe it is that the police…