Also Quote by Michael Shermer
“Being deeply knowledgeable on one subject narrows one's focus and increases confidence, but it also blurs dissenting views until they are no longer visible, thereby transforming data collection into bias confirmation and morphing self-deception into self-assurance.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Skepticism and Cognitive Bias, 2015
Deep expertise can create blind spots, turning data into confirmation bias and self‑deception.
In simple terms: Expertise can blind you to opposing evidence.
Key Takeaway
Seek diverse perspectives to avoid bias.
Themes
expertise
bias
confidence
Mood
cautious
analytical
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- research
- decision making
- education
- media consumption
Key Concepts
cognitive psychology
epistemology
critical thinking
Questions to Reflect On
- What blind spots might your expertise create?
- How can you test your assumptions?
A Different Perspective
Overconfidence may hinder learning.
![“What is the danger in the personalization era? Psychologists call it confirmation bias—“a tendency to believe things that reinforce our existing views, to see what we want to see.”[53] What happens when we encounter new information that contradicts our beliefs? Researchers at Stanford monitored…” quote by Craig Detweiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/692/craig-detweiler-19935_cognitive-dissonance_what-is-the-danger-in-the-personalizatio_1556072.jpg)
