3rd April 2019 - Of Cognitive Bias, Corruption and Consecrations

Thought for the day: "Friend asked “Have you seen my cocaine?” I said – 'yup – he was in Zulu' "

I like Matt - sums things up pretty well...

and then...

House of Commons

17-cognitive-biases-that-explain-brexit

Today's Cognitive Bias -

1/ Tribal Epistemology

Information is evaluated based not on conformity to common standards of evidence or correspondence to a common understanding of the world, but on whether it supports the tribe’s values and goals and is vouchsafed by tribal leaders.

How does Tribal Epistemology explain some of the reasoning behind fake news, and as a result, all the weirdness/awfulness in politics right now?

Well, if information is not considered factually true based on evidence but rather whether it conforms to ideals of the tribe, then you arrive at the silo state we’re in now, whereby any news or evidence that goes against your tribe’s beliefs is shunned as “fake news”, considered biased, or ignored entirely.

Only trusted sources count and so what effectively happens is that we double down on our beliefs — we believe something is true because our news source of choice tells us that, but our news source tells us that because we think it’s true.

A very neat explanation of the situation we are in.....
So in other thoughts ..

Today I wrote a short summary of the weekend...

New Court for the Masonic Order of Athelstan

16 Unique Petitioners joined 22 founders for the Court of Castell Penfro No 139 in a celebration on Friday 29th March (Instruction) and Consecration and Installation of Primus Master W Bro Rev Fr Malcolm Lane (Past PGM of Monmouthshire Craft and Past Grand Superintendent of Monmouth Holy Royal Arch) (30th March) as the Provincial team from Magonsætan, led by Provincial Grand Master Shaun Crutchley, conducted all Ceremonies

We were delighted to have the presence of the Deputy Grand Master RWBro Roy Leavers who instructed the new members in the SIgns of the Order and presented the warrant for the new Court, together with the support of active Grand Officers.

The Court of Castell Penfro is held in the historic Masonic Hall at Pembroke, built in 1901,  which has a unique square temple flooring with an Octagonal Ceiling still showing the scars of the war - where strafing bullets or shrapnel (dependent upon version) can be clearly see in the painted ceiling of the temple. The consecration of this Court brings the Province of Magonsætan back up to 8 courts with two further Courts planned during the forthcoming year. There are now Courts in Aberystwyth, Llanelli and Pembroke Dock within the Craft Province of West Wales. Membership of this Order requires subscribing membership of Craft and Holy Royal Arch Chapter.

Brethren of the court are looking forward to holding their own Instruction ceremony for the remaining founders at the end of April..

Pictured are the Provincial Team, Provincial Team and founders,  Primus Master and Active Grand Officers, Primus Master and ProvGM and DepProvGM of Magonsætan,  Temple and ceiling of Pembroke Dock Masonic Hall and the Logo of the Court of Castell Penfro no 139.

So a good weekend...

Cheers !