Epistemic Fluidity: A Mediation of What We Know and Believe
In the age of misinformation, “post-truth,” and with a major election on the horizon in a certain part of the world, there’s an increasing need for tools that help us apply rigorous evaluation to our mental models. This is what I call Epistemic Fluidity—a method that mediates between what we know and believe, with the flexibility to adjust these beliefs when necessary.
By being aware of how our values have been shaped—through upbringing, experience, and emotion—we can examine our core beliefs and potentially shift them dynamically in response to new information. While this process often brings both existential and social friction (since core values are closely tied to our identity and the social groups we belong to), I believe that engaging in this exercise, uncomfortable as it may be, can offer us the flexibility to critically evaluate information before our limbic system quickly reacts to propaganda designed to exploit these emotional triggers.
Introducing: Existential Jenga
Here’s a rough exercise I propose as a starting point:
Select a “Block”: Choose a belief that you hold, ideally one where you’re aware of its origin. As you grow more comfortable, you can start selecting beliefs that are more central to your identity.
Assess the Block: Gently slide the belief out of its place in your mental model. From this new vantage point, how does the overall construct look? Has your mental model—the block tower—changed significantly? Does it feel stronger or more unstable without this belief in place?
Place or Discard: Decide what to do with the belief. Would you place the block back on top, recognizing it as newly examined, or would you discard it altogether? Like in Jenga, your mental structure will look different after this action, but its integrity remains. With this new understanding, determine the best place for this belief—or if it should be set aside.
(Disclaimer: I’m not based in the US, nor do I feel an affinity for any particular party currently running.)
Any feedback or further discussion would be much appreciated!
Epistemic Fluidity: A Mediation of What We Know and Believe
In the age of misinformation, “post-truth,” and with a major election on the horizon in a certain part of the world, there’s an increasing need for tools that help us apply rigorous evaluation to our mental models. This is what I call Epistemic Fluidity—a method that mediates between what we know and believe, with the flexibility to adjust these beliefs when necessary.
By being aware of how our values have been shaped—through upbringing, experience, and emotion—we can examine our core beliefs and potentially shift them dynamically in response to new information. While this process often brings both existential and social friction (since core values are closely tied to our identity and the social groups we belong to), I believe that engaging in this exercise, uncomfortable as it may be, can offer us the flexibility to critically evaluate information before our limbic system quickly reacts to propaganda designed to exploit these emotional triggers.
Introducing: Existential Jenga
Here’s a rough exercise I propose as a starting point:
Select a “Block”: Choose a belief that you hold, ideally one where you’re aware of its origin. As you grow more comfortable, you can start selecting beliefs that are more central to your identity.
Assess the Block: Gently slide the belief out of its place in your mental model. From this new vantage point, how does the overall construct look? Has your mental model—the block tower—changed significantly? Does it feel stronger or more unstable without this belief in place?
Place or Discard: Decide what to do with the belief. Would you place the block back on top, recognizing it as newly examined, or would you discard it altogether? Like in Jenga, your mental structure will look different after this action, but its integrity remains. With this new understanding, determine the best place for this belief—or if it should be set aside.
(Disclaimer: I’m not based in the US, nor do I feel an affinity for any particular party currently running.)
Any feedback or further discussion would be much appreciated!