Summary
The article “After the Fact” by Jill Lepore examines how easily influenced society is in terms of distinguishing what is actually true and what people tend to perceive is the truth. The main argument of this article outlines the idea that “the place once held by “facts” is being taken over by data” (Lepore, 2016). In the article, she also argues that citizens are easily lured by claims made by politicians, rather than reasoning with their own judgment. For example; she states that “Trump doesn’t reason”; he calls people liars and since no one can prove that those individuals are not liars, it can be claimed that he is telling the truth. This then justifies her argument that individuals only know things because of Google; but without …show more content…
“The Internet has become a primary form of external or "trans active" memory where information is stored collectively outside the brain.” (CITE). Instead of having to memorize ideas and facts, we can “Google” them, giving us the advantage of saving time which would have been taken up by thinking. The internet also provides us with a source of validation and evidence to justify what we know as true.
Cons
Although depending on the internet may not seem to be as bad as it is thought to be, it takes away from the notion of thinking for ourselves. “We no longer take responsibility for our own beliefs, and we lack the capacity to see how bits of facts fit into a larger whole.” (7, Lepore) By referring back to the internet to justify our facts and get answers, we fail to understand how these answers are related to one another and how this knowledge fits together. However, Lynch believes it’s not the internet to blame but the paradox that “reason can’t defend itself without reason”. In order to explain something, we need evidence, however; this evidence cannot support itself without other evidence; henceforth, we gain this evidence through the
The article “After the Fact” by Jill Lepore examines how easily influenced society is in terms of distinguishing what is actually true and what people tend to perceive is the truth. The main argument of this article outlines the idea that “the place once held by “facts” is being taken over by data” (Lepore, 2016). In the article, she also argues that citizens are easily lured by claims made by politicians, rather than reasoning with their own judgment. For example; she states that “Trump doesn’t reason”; he calls people liars and since no one can prove that those individuals are not liars, it can be claimed that he is telling the truth. This then justifies her argument that individuals only know things because of Google; but without …show more content…
“The Internet has become a primary form of external or "trans active" memory where information is stored collectively outside the brain.” (CITE). Instead of having to memorize ideas and facts, we can “Google” them, giving us the advantage of saving time which would have been taken up by thinking. The internet also provides us with a source of validation and evidence to justify what we know as true.
Cons
Although depending on the internet may not seem to be as bad as it is thought to be, it takes away from the notion of thinking for ourselves. “We no longer take responsibility for our own beliefs, and we lack the capacity to see how bits of facts fit into a larger whole.” (7, Lepore) By referring back to the internet to justify our facts and get answers, we fail to understand how these answers are related to one another and how this knowledge fits together. However, Lynch believes it’s not the internet to blame but the paradox that “reason can’t defend itself without reason”. In order to explain something, we need evidence, however; this evidence cannot support itself without other evidence; henceforth, we gain this evidence through the