How to Think Like the Dutch and Like a Scientist

Executive Summary

• What are the major influences for Brightwork Research & Analysis?
• What everyone can learn from Dutch thought.

Introduction

Sometimes I am asked what the influences that make up the background for the research at Brightwork are. In this article, we will cover them.

They are the following:

• The Scientific Method
• Noam Chomsky
• Dutch Thinking/Dutch Thought

The Scientific Method

The most important of these is the scientific method. The scientific method declares that evidence must be presented before anything is believed. It is surprising that often in our scientific era how frequently this approach is not applied. In the US, at least, a person either must be a Ph.D. or have some scientific training before they usually come to this way of thinking. For example, only roughly 1 in 8 Americans believe there is a scientific consensus on a topic like global warming. Some of the greatest problems and some of our smallest problems are due to people believing things without evidence. Statements, like there is a “relative truth” or something, can be “true for me, but not for you,” all undermine the principle of scientific reasoning.

Noam Chomsky

Noam Chomsky is a linguist and an intellectual who also specializes in media analysis and foreign affairs. Noam Chomsky was already a giant in linguistics before attaining a far broader following as an intellectual dissident. Noam Chomsky teaches that the largest and most powerful institutions are often wrong and then do the research to prove it. He demonstrates no correlation between large and powerful institutions and truthfulness, and in fact, most frequently, the relationship is inverse. One should not accept statements of virtuous intent on the part of institutions or individuals as fact until supported by evidence.

Dutch Thinking/Dutch Thought

One of the Dutch’s most important features is how they acknowledge evidence that does not serve their argument. It is the Dutch way to acknowledge evidence even if it is contrary to one’s proposal. This is a scientific way of thinking. However, after interacting with many Dutch colleagues, it appears to be part of the culture. That is, the Dutch will often have this feature without having any specific scientific training. This means that it is embedded into Dutch culture for several reasons (one being their education system). This approach does not seek to stack the deck in favor of one argument or one proposal. It recognizes that any proposal will have both negatives and positives, and acknowledging evidence contradictory to a proposal is not a sign of weakness but is a sign of being an active thinker. I am an American, born and raised, but the foundational American mental framework serves as an advocate for a position. That is to carve out space and then defend the space against all arguments. Debates with many Americans can often become tedious because it can simply result in their position’s constant restatement. Therefore while I am an American by birth, I reject the American approach to thinking — which can be described as doctrinal. The curious thing is that while Americans often promote the importance of education, they do not promote the idea of being open to different and perhaps superior ways of thinking. And as most education is the attainment of domain expertise, most education does not solve the problem of the underlying mental framework.

Each one of these influences or threads essentially points in the same direction and manifests the same approach.

What We Can Learn from the Dutch

Although a small country, the Dutch have many things to teach the rest of the world.

• The Dutch are the world’s most prolific users of bicycle transportation averaging somewhere around 530 miles of bicycle per person per year, resulting in a more ecological economy and health benefits for their population.
• They are the world’s experts in the reclamation of land from the sea and in water and ocean management.
• The Dutch dislike hierarchy and being “told what to do.” Just like Brightwork. We work off of evidence, not off of being told what is true or trying to triangulate what is true based upon what others think is true. It is the Dutch way to question and to want to know why, and appeals to authority do not work as well with them. They are often excellent critical thinkers and can see thought inaccurate information disseminated by large and powerful entities. More of that type of thinking is needed…….well, really everywhere.

Conclusion

Of all the things that the Dutch have developed, perhaps their most important contribution is how they have woven the scientific method into their culture. This means that the instantiation of the scientific method of thinking to not simply limited to the minority of Dutch (as it is in most countries) that focus on scientific disciplines. Instead, it is native to a large percentage of the population as a normal way of thinking and approaching the Netherlands’ problems.

And it might be their most impressive accomplishment. This, along with the philosophy of questioning authority from Noam Chomsky and the scientific method, are the basis for the mental framework we follow at Brightwork Research and Analysis.

References

https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/7/6/15924444/global-warming-consensus-survey