Stories are the primary way through which we make sense of our world. We explain ideas by telling stories.Even science uses storytelling when they use data of the physical world to explain phenomena that cannot be reduced to physical facts, or when they extend incomplete data to draw general conclusions. For example, knowing the atomic weight of carbon and oxygen cannot explain to us what life is.

Storytelling is essential to living

When the brain pieces separate bits of an image together to form a coherent picture, it is known as pattern recognition. Once we recognize a pattern, it can spark a degree of pleasure, often described as that "a-ha" moment.

The brain’s reward system

Despite the verities of science, we feel compelled to tell stories that venture beyond the facts.When we first see separate ideas, we feel obliged to find a relationship between the ideas to form a coherent picture. Once a possible relationship has been established, we feel the need to come up with an explanation.

Where science and story meet

Science is about making up stories called hypotheses and testing them, then coming up with better stories. Once a story is complete, science goes to a lab to test it. While a story is useful, it can also be a problem if we run with an incomplete story. Our brains' reward for possible pattern-matching can overlook conflicting information as it searches for patterns, not identical inputs.We earn a dopamine reward every time we understand something - even if the explanation is defective. This may result in misinterpreting data.

Hypotheses and making up stories

<ul><li>Ensure that any science you trust has passed through the peer-review process. And even then it might not be accurate. </li><li>Search for information on the limits of the data in science reports. Were assumptions made? Be concerned if the discussion of them is missing.</li><li>Assess the preciseness of language, tightness of structure and restraint with which they present moral issues.</li><li>Assess the historical, cultural, and personal context of the study.</li><li>Are they willing to entertain alternative opinions and interpretations?</li></ul>

What science to accept

Good science = precise data - possible interpretations. Good science is a humble recognition of the limits of what scientific data can say.

Good science

We are all storytellers; we make sense out of the world by telling stories. And science is a great source of stories. Not so, you might argue. Science is an objective collection and interpretation of data. I completely agree.

Where science and story meet

Our Brains Tell Stories So We Can Live - Issue 75: Story - Nautilus

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