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Key points
- Like Columbus, one can become boxed into a way of thinking that leads to not knowing where one is.
- It is always possible to conceive of alternative ways of interpreting a given set of facts.
- To combat rigid thinking, it's important to challenge one's beliefs and put them to the test.
We can take a lesson from Christopher Columbus, though perhaps not the one you might expect. The lesson is to avoid a common mistake in thinking that can make us prisoners of our own beliefs. Though Columbus is generally credited as the first European to discover the New World (however conveniently we may put aside the earlier Viking voyages), the one person who would roundly reject the credit was Columbus himself. Most people of his time—despite what we may have heard—didn’t believe the Earth was flat. Rather, they believed that all the land on Earth was surrounded by an ocean sea. This geography left no room for the discovery of new lands separated by vast oceans that lay between Europe and Asia—namely the Americas.
Columbus spent his last years holding firm to his belief that he had landed in the southeastern tip of Asia, that he had indeed found a westward sea route to China.
A Belief Is an Opinion, Not a Fact
The Columbus Fallacy, as I call it, is the assumption that our beliefs are statements of fact, rather than mere opinions or interpretations of reality. Columbus’s mistake in thinking was not that he believed he had discovered a new route to Asia, but rather assumed his belief was true simply because he believed it to be so. This error of thinking is not limited to world explorers.
A psychology professor once remarked that the most difficult thing for students to do is to generate even one alternative hypothesis for a given set of findings. Accepting that our assumptions, claims, and beliefs may be disproven under a certain set of conditions is a hallmark of science. Scientists accept that they may be wrong, which is why they conduct experiments to test out their beliefs. The prominent philosopher of science, Karl Popper, argued that for a theory to be scientific, it must lend itself to falsification. We do experiments not to discover the truth but to test our beliefs and assumptions in the light of the evidence, subjecting them to the possibility of falsification.
Truth with a capital “T” lies outside the realm of science, as it is always possible to conceive of alternative ways of interpreting a given set of facts. Our beliefs may hold up under scrutiny and become useful ways of understanding the world. When they don’t pan out, we can replace them with better theories that provide a more useful accounting of the evidence at hand. Theories are judged scientific when they are testable, though they are never proven. They become stronger with supporting evidence, but even the best theory is subject to the four R’s: refinement, revision, replacement, or rejection. As Albert Einstein put it, “No amount of experimentation can ever prove me right; a single experiment can prove me wrong.” But experiment we must, for the sake of testing our beliefs and giving us grounds to develop new ones that may be more useful or better supported. To quote Ralph Waldo Emerson, “All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make, the better.”
Like Columbus, we are all limited by our belief systems. Yet if we are open to exploring alternatives, we recognize that the beliefs we may hold dear are only interpretations of reality—opinions really, not facts. Taking this perspective leads us to consider what alternative beliefs might work better for us or fit better with the facts at hand.
Becoming a Personal Scientist
Scientists test their assumptions by performing experiments. A therapist helps patients become personal scientists by taking stock of themselves, their beliefs, assumptions, and attitudes and testing them in the light of reality. A patient may have terrifying panic attacks and live in fear of a recurrence. The fear is understandable, as panic attacks are episodes of sheer terror. But the dread of another attack keeps the person paralyzed with fear. The therapist provides guidance and support to directly confront the fear through a series of gradual exposures to feared situations and sensations. Through this process of personal experimentation, the patient learns to regulate their emotional reactions and cope with situations they may have been avoiding. Similarly, people who are prone to depression in the face of disappointing life events become boxed into a way of thinking that limits their ability to explore alternative beliefs. By testing out their negative beliefs—”I’m no good," “Nothing will ever work out for me”—they give themselves the chance to develop more adaptive ways of thinking and being in the world.
Avoiding the Columbus Fallacy
Holding rigidly to a way of thinking that admits no other possibilities is a mental trap, which we can dub the Columbus fallacy. To avoid this common error in thinking, we need to be open to examining our beliefs, such as by asking ourselves these types of questions:
- Are my beliefs necessarily true, or does it only seem that way?
- Might there be other ways of thinking that would be more helpful to me in dealing with the challenges I face?
- Am I harder on myself than I am on other people, and if so, why am I so less generous with myself than I am with others?
- Are my beliefs set in stone or are they open to testing?
- What new ways of thinking can I try out?
Thinking Logically, Not Emotionally
Are there times when your go-to reaction is to think the worst? Step back for a moment and ask yourself, is it really the end of the world or does it merely seem that way? Another mind trap that snares people is emotional reasoning, or reasoning based on feelings rather than reason. Emotional reasoning is built on a shaky foundation that because something feels so, it must be so. This logical error goes like this: If I feel desperate or hopeless, it must be because things are truly desperate or hopeless. Looking at the world through your emotions is like wearing dark sunglasses and thinking the world itself is truly a dark place. Take a lesson from Mr. Spock of Star Trek fame and let logic and reason, not emotions, guide you.
Challenging rigid thinking is the first step toward change. Next comes the process of putting your beliefs to the test and seeing how they hold up in the light of reality by performing mini-experiments in everyday life. Unlike Columbus, being willing to shine a light on yourself can help you know where you are and the direction you are headed.
General Disclaimer: The content here and in other blog posts on the Minute Therapist is intended for informational purposes only and not for diagnosis, evaluation, or treatment of mental health disorders. If you are concerned about your emotional well-being or experiencing any significant mental health problems, I encourage you to consult a licensed mental health professional in your area for a thorough evaluation.
© 2023 Jeffrey S. Nevid
