"Much of the information that people assume is 'factual' actually turns out to be inaccurate.
Thus, any piece of information referred to as a 'fact' should be mistrusted since it may well be
proven false in the future"
The speaker contends that so-called "facts" often turn out to be false, and therefore that we
should distrust whatever we are told is factual. Although the speaker overlooks certain
circumstances in which undue skepticism might be counterproductive, and even harmful, on
balance I agree that we should not passively accept whatever is passed off as fact; otherwise,
human knowledge would never advance.
I turn first to so-called "scientific facts," by which I mean current prevailing notions about the
nature of the physical universe that have withstood the test of rigorous scientific and logical
scrutiny. The very notion of scientific progress is predicated on such scrutiny. Indeed the
history of science is in large measure a history of challenges to so-called "scientific
facts"--challenges which have paved the way for scientific progress. For example, in challenging the notion that the Earth was in a fixed position at the center of the universe,
Copernicus paved for the way for the corroborating observations of Galileo a century later, and
ultimately for Newton's principles of gravity upon which all modern science depends. The
staggering cumulative impact of Copernicus' rejection of what he had been told was true
provides strong support for the speaker's advice when it comes to scientific facts.
Another example of the value of distrusting what we are told is scientific fact involves the
debate over whether human behavioral traits are a function of internal physical forces ("nature")
or of learning and environment ("nurture"). Throughout human history the prevailing view has
shifted many times. The ancients assumed that our behavior was governed by the whims of
the gods; in medieval times it became accepted fact that human behavior is dictated by bodily
humours, or fluids; this "fact" later yielded to the notion that we are primarily products of our
upbringing and environment. Now researchers are discovering that many behavioral traits are
largely a function of the unique neurological structure of each individual's brain. Thus only by
distrusting facts about human behavior can we advance in our scientific knowledge and, in turn,
learn to deal more effectively with human behavioral issues in such fields as education,
juvenile delinquency, criminal reform, and mental illness.
The value of skepticism about so-called "facts" is not limited to the physical sciences. When
it comes to the social sciences we should always be skeptical about what is presented to us as
historical fact. Textbooks can paint distorted pictures of historical events, and of their causes
and consequences. After all, history in the making is always viewed firsthand through the eyes
of subjective witnesses, then recorded by fallible journalists with their own cultural biases and
agendas, then interpreted by historians with limited, and often tainted, information. And when it
comes to factual assumptions underlying theories in the social science, we should be even
more distrusting and skeptical, because such assumptions inherently defy deductive proof, or
disproof. Skepticism should extend to the law as well. While law students, lawyers, legislators,
and jurists must learn to appreciate traditional legal doctrines and principles, at the same time
they must continually question their correctness----m terms of their fairness and continuing
relevance.
Admittedly, in some cases undue skepticism can be counterproductive, and even harmfu.
For instance, we must accept current notions about the constancy of gravity and other basic
laws of physics; otherwise, we would live in continual fear that the world around us would
literally come crashing down on us. Undue skepticism can also be psychologically unhealthy
when distrust borders on paranoia. Finally, common sense informs me that young people
should first develop a foundation of experiential knowledge before they are encouraged to
think critically about what they are told is fact.
To sum up, a certain measure of distrust of so-called "facts" is the very stuff of which human
knowledge and progress are fashioned, whether in the physical sciences, the social sciences,
or the law. Therefore, with few exceptions I strongly agree that we should strive to look at facts
through skeptical eyes.
Grammar and spelling errors:
Line 1, column 104, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...n out to be false, and therefore that we should distrust whatever we are told is ...
^^^
Line 2, column 88, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
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.... Although the speaker overlooks certain circumstances in which undue skepticism ...
^^^
Line 3, column 89, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
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... counterproductive, and even harmful, on balance I agree that we should not passi...
^^^
Line 4, column 95, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...atever is passed off as fact; otherwise, human knowledge would never advance. ...
^^^
Line 6, column 50, Rule ID: COMMA_PARENTHESIS_WHITESPACE
Message: Put a space after the comma
Suggestion: , &apos
...irst to so-called 'scientific facts,' by which I mean current prevailing not...
^^^^^^
Line 6, column 110, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...ean current prevailing notions about the nature of the physical universe that hav...
^^^
Line 7, column 96, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
... test of rigorous scientific and logical scrutiny. The very notion of scientific ...
^^^
Line 8, column 82, Rule ID: SENT_START_CONJUNCTIVE_LINKING_ADVERB_COMMA[1]
Message: Did you forget a comma after a conjunctive/linking adverb?
Suggestion: Indeed,
...rogress is predicated on such scrutiny. Indeed the history of science is in large me...
^^^^^^
Line 8, column 92, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
... predicated on such scrutiny. Indeed the history of science is in large measure a...
^^^
Line 9, column 93, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...challenges to so-called 'scientific facts'--challenges which have paved...
^^^
Line 10, column 183, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
... position at the center of the universe, Copernicus paved for the way for the cor...
^^^
Line 11, column 96, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...rvations of Galileo a century later, and ultimately for Newtons principles of gra...
^^^
Line 12, column 88, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...on which all modern science depends. The staggering cumulative impact of Copernic...
^^^
Line 13, column 87, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...ection of what he had been told was true provides strong support for the speakers...
^^^
Line 14, column 33, Rule ID: POSSESIVE_APOSTROPHE[1]
Message: Possible typo: apostrophe is missing. Did you mean 'speakers'' or 'speaker's'?
Suggestion: speakers'; speaker's
... true provides strong support for the speakers advice when it comes to scientific fact...
^^^^^^^^
Line 15, column 94, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...are told is scientific fact involves the debate over whether human behavioral tra...
^^^
Line 16, column 106, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...ernal physical forces 'nature' or of learning and environment 'nur...
^^^
Line 17, column 101, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...ut human history the prevailing view has shifted many times. The ancients assumed...
^^^
Line 18, column 88, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...ur behavior was governed by the whims of the gods; in medieval times it became ac...
^^^
Line 19, column 94, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...hat human behavior is dictated by bodily humours, or fluids; this 'fact&apos...
^^^
Line 20, column 108, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...on that we are primarily products of our upbringing and environment. Now research...
^^^
Line 21, column 92, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...covering that many behavioral traits are largely a function of the unique neurolo...
^^^
Line 22, column 84, Rule ID: SENT_START_CONJUNCTIVE_LINKING_ADVERB_COMMA[1]
Message: Did you forget a comma after a conjunctive/linking adverb?
Suggestion: Thus,
...al structure of each individuals brain. Thus only by distrusting facts about human...
^^^^
Line 22, column 96, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
... of each individuals brain. Thus only by distrusting facts about human behavior c...
^^^
Line 23, column 96, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...n our scientific knowledge and, in turn, learn to deal more effectively with huma...
^^^
Line 24, column 89, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...oral issues in such fields as education, juvenile delinquency, criminal reform, a...
^^^
Line 26, column 105, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...t limited to the physical sciences. When it comes to the social sciences we shoul...
^^^
Line 27, column 95, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...eptical about what is presented to us as historical fact. Textbooks can paint dis...
^^^
Line 28, column 98, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...f historical events, and of their causes and consequences. After all, history in ...
^^^
Line 29, column 95, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...always viewed firsthand through the eyes of subjective witnesses, then recorded b...
^^^
Line 30, column 98, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...lists with their own cultural biases and agendas, then interpreted by historians ...
^^^
Line 31, column 98, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
... often tainted, information. And when it comes to factual assumptions underlying ...
^^^
Line 32, column 90, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
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...in the social science, we should be even more distrusting and skeptical, because ...
^^^
Line 33, column 93, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
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...ions inherently defy deductive proof, or disproof. Skepticism should extend to th...
^^^
Line 34, column 97, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...hile law students, lawyers, legislators, and jurists must learn to appreciate tra...
^^^
Line 35, column 98, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
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...ctrines and principles, at the same time they must continually question their cor...
^^^
Line 36, column 93, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...m terms of their fairness and continuing relevance. Admittedly, in some cases ...
^^^
Line 38, column 88, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
... be counterproductive, and even harmfu. For instance, we must accept current not...
^^^
Line 39, column 92, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...the constancy of gravity and other basic laws of physics; otherwise, we would liv...
^^^
Line 40, column 91, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...nual fear that the world around us would literally come crashing down on us. Undu...
^^^
Line 41, column 91, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...sm can also be psychologically unhealthy when distrust borders on paranoia. Final...
^^^
Line 42, column 86, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...ommon sense informs me that young people should first develop a foundation of exp...
^^^
Line 43, column 90, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
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... knowledge before they are encouraged to think critically about what they are tol...
^^^
Line 45, column 106, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...s' is the very stuff of which human knowledge and progress are fashioned, wh...
^^^
Line 46, column 93, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
... physical sciences, the social sciences, or the law. Therefore, with few exceptio...
^^^
Line 47, column 99, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...e that we should strive to look at facts through skeptical eyes.
^^^
Transition Words or Phrases used:
also, finally, first, if, look, so, then, therefore, thus, well, while, after all, for example, for instance, i mean, such as, in some cases, to sum up
Attributes: Values AverageValues Percentages(Values/AverageValues)% => Comments
Performance on Part of Speech:
To be verbs : 30.0 19.5258426966 154% => OK
Auxiliary verbs: 18.0 12.4196629213 145% => OK
Conjunction : 24.0 14.8657303371 161% => OK
Relative clauses : 21.0 11.3162921348 186% => OK
Pronoun: 47.0 33.0505617978 142% => Less pronouns wanted
Preposition: 92.0 58.6224719101 157% => OK
Nominalization: 17.0 12.9106741573 132% => OK
Performance on vocabulary words:
No of characters: 3776.0 2235.4752809 169% => OK
No of words: 660.0 442.535393258 149% => Less content wanted.
Chars per words: 5.72121212121 5.05705443957 113% => OK
Fourth root words length: 5.06857624559 4.55969084622 111% => OK
Word Length SD: 3.31735841451 2.79657885939 119% => OK
Unique words: 336.0 215.323595506 156% => OK
Unique words percentage: 0.509090909091 0.4932671777 103% => OK
syllable_count: 1122.3 704.065955056 159% => OK
avg_syllables_per_word: 1.7 1.59117977528 107% => OK
A sentence (or a clause, phrase) starts by:
Pronoun: 7.0 6.24550561798 112% => OK
Article: 8.0 4.99550561798 160% => OK
Subordination: 6.0 3.10617977528 193% => OK
Conjunction: 14.0 1.77640449438 788% => Less conjunction wanted as sentence beginning.
Preposition: 13.0 4.38483146067 296% => Less preposition wanted as sentence beginnings.
Performance on sentences:
How many sentences: 25.0 20.2370786517 124% => OK
Sentence length: 26.0 23.0359550562 113% => OK
Sentence length SD: 76.5800600679 60.3974514979 127% => OK
Chars per sentence: 151.04 118.986275619 127% => OK
Words per sentence: 26.4 23.4991977007 112% => OK
Discourse Markers: 6.04 5.21951772744 116% => OK
Paragraphs: 47.0 4.97078651685 946% => Less paragraphs wanted.
Language errors: 46.0 7.80617977528 589% => Less language errors wanted.
Sentences with positive sentiment : 12.0 10.2758426966 117% => OK
Sentences with negative sentiment : 11.0 5.13820224719 214% => Less negative sentences wanted.
Sentences with neutral sentiment: 2.0 4.83258426966 41% => OK
What are sentences with positive/Negative/neutral sentiment?
Coherence and Cohesion:
Essay topic to essay body coherence: 0.12854255797 0.243740707755 53% => OK
Sentence topic coherence: 0.0428333667092 0.0831039109588 52% => OK
Sentence topic coherence SD: 0.0479374865477 0.0758088955206 63% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence: 0.0287704303823 0.150359130593 19% => Maybe some paragraphs are off the topic.
Paragraph topic coherence SD: 0.039939330083 0.0667264976115 60% => OK
Essay readability:
automated_readability_index: 18.7 14.1392134831 132% => OK
flesch_reading_ease: 36.63 48.8420337079 75% => OK
smog_index: 8.8 7.92365168539 111% => OK
flesch_kincaid_grade: 14.6 12.1743820225 120% => OK
coleman_liau_index: 16.19 12.1639044944 133% => OK
dale_chall_readability_score: 9.71 8.38706741573 116% => OK
difficult_words: 200.0 100.480337079 199% => OK
linsear_write_formula: 14.0 11.8971910112 118% => OK
gunning_fog: 12.4 11.2143820225 111% => OK
text_standard: 19.0 11.7820224719 161% => OK
What are above readability scores?
---------------------
Write the essay in 30 minutes.
Maximum six paragraphs wanted.
Rates: 66.67 out of 100
Scores by essay e-grader: 4.0 Out of 6
---------------------
Note: the e-grader does NOT examine the meaning of words and ideas. VIP users will receive further evaluations by advanced module of e-grader and human graders.