Authority is one of the claim testers that helps us decide what to believe. People who are experts gain credibility in their field by consistently demonstrating logical and reliable patterns of thinking. In this video, we’ll examine those qualities we find most trustworthy in experts.
Driving Question: Who should we trust when seeking new knowledge?
- When experts weigh in on a topic, our ears perk up. We lean in to listen. But what exactly makes someone an expert? Why should we trust them? In history, we look for people who are consistently logical, credible, and reliable. Those qualities make them a good source of information that we can trust.
Word of the Day: Authority
- A respectable or credible source, an expert.
Lesson
- Go to Khan Academy and watch the video How Do We Decide What to Believe?. As professor Bob Bain discusses the answer to this question, keep track of all the references he makes to authority. Think about those qualities that make someone an authority.
Historian’s Journal Prompt
- Who do you trust as a source of information about the coronavirus: your mom, CNN, FOX News? Critically examine someone who you consider an authority and see if they hold up based on your research.
- The Center for Disease Control (CDC) is the leading public health expert on the coronavirus in the United States. Research this organization to learn more about their credibility. Why should we trust them? What makes them a credible source of information?
