To compensate, we need to develop the habit of employing one of several “consider the opposite” strategies. We can learn to ask ourselves, for example, “Suppose the exact opposite had occurred. Would I consider that outcome to be supportive of my belief as well?” Alternatively, we can ask, “How would someone who does not believe the way I do explain this result?”, or, more generally, “What alternative theory could account for it?” By asking these questions, we become aware that the link between evidence and belief is not so tight as it might first appear.
