I saw this on a television series about attorneys — it’s an interesting statement:
When a witness tells the jury that he’s absolutely sure, then the jurors often conclude that he’s absolutely right. Certainty only proves certainty, not accuracy.
Their certainty only proves they are sure of what they remember, not necessarily what accurately happened.
Do you blindly accept someone’s certainty to the accuracy of the situation? Do you think through their logic, and if you cannot do you ask them to elaborate and give evidence and their rationale? Do you rephrase and paraphrase to insure your own clarity? Asking questions in a non-defensive way can shed light on someone else’s thinking process. It is incumbent upon you to listen, ask for clarification and arrive at your own conclusions.
What do you accept as correct, just because someone expresses it with confidence and an air of authority?
