[M_Grey]

When you consider how mathematics, an understanding of probability, and so on enhances your ability to see through bullshit in advertising, government, and to some extent religions (not faith, just religions); it's not hard to understand why so many people are not thrilled at the notion.

[rimantas]

Why exclude faith? For PC sake?

[inimino]

Not many people change their foundational epistemic stance in response to mathematical arguments.

[eli_gottlieb]

It would help if fewer people had foundational epistemic stances. Fallibilism is much more realistic than foundationalism, as I understand the terms.

[M_Grey]

Faith isn't a logical process, from what I can tell, but it's also not a supposedly coherent system as most religions claim to be. Religions offer predictions (past and present), and supposedly consistent statements about morality and life, which are demonstrably inconsistent.

[ue_]

>religions

Can yiu tell my why, please? I'm not necessarily disagreeing, but I'm curious as to whst you're alluding to.

[frozenport]

Much of advertising is emotional appeal.

[M_Grey]

Plenty of advertising, car sales, consumer financial products, lotteries, etc... rely on people not having an innate understanding of math, and especially probabilities.

Hell, if people understood those issues, they might even have something to say about Gerrymandering and the electoral college!

[wolfgke]

> Hell, if people understood those issues, they might even have something to say about Gerrymandering and the electoral college!

It's not obvious whether this is good or bad (too many cooks spoil the broth).

[M_Grey]

The cooks are in the kitchen with their votes already, how could it be worse to have them actually know what the hell they're doing there?

[wolfgke]

Perhaps I am a little bit biased by the situation in Germany. In the past years there was an increasing number of non-voters in elections (typically people who are dissatisfied with the political system). Now in the last years a rather right-wing populist party (AfD) appeared that convinced many of these non-voters to vote for them.

Compare this a little bit to the fictional situation as if Donald Trump would bring many people who did not vote in the last presidential elections back to the ballot boxes to vote for him.

[eli_gottlieb]

>In the past years there was an increasing number of non-voters in elections (typically people who are dissatisfied with the political system). Now in the last years a rather right-wing populist party (AfD) appeared that convinced many of these non-voters to vote for them.

Well, maybe the Left should try actually appealing to the interests of the working class instead of the SDP going quietly along with the austerity measures.

>Compare this a little bit to the fictional situation as if Donald Trump would bring many people who did not vote in the last presidential elections back to the ballot boxes to vote for him.

That's not fiction.

[M_Grey]

That's an interesting perspective, and a good point.