Joan of Bark

Hey Toto, I was hoping for some response from you.

You too, Andrew Criddle.

andrewcriddle

I wasn't sure if this was relevant but since you asked.

C S Lewis said (IMS in 'Mere Christianity') that one's best protection against bias is to read old books as well as new ones. Not that the old ones aren't biased (they are) but their biases are ones that will be obvious to us and will do us no harm. And the old books will help protect us from the biases of the modern books which we are less likely to notice (because we probably partly share them.)

In fields like philosophy I think Lewis was correct. However Biblical Studies depends on new discoveries and new insights in a way that means books geniunely get out of date. However I still think it is worth reading the classical writers like Schweitzer and when what they say sems strange to moden ears asking yourself if you are sure that the modern approach is right.

Andrew Criddle

-Jay-

Good points, Andrew. It's also a good idea to read different authors on the same subject matter, lest one get too comfortable with a single author's perspective.

regards,

NinJay

bopot

1) How important is it for you to know beforehand a writer's biases?

Good question, I've never asked myself specifically how important this is to me. My first reaction is to say that it shouldn't matter at all, as long as the claims made by the author can be verified. Truth is truth, whoever is saying it (see the anonymous fallacy). Also, if I know beforehand that I will probably disagree, I might subconsciously resist any claims that are true and would be beneficial for me to consider.

2) Do you check for such biases before reading? If so, what resources do you use?

Not actively, unless I already suspect bias, in which case I do often google name(s) to see what pops up.

3) Is there any good online resource for checking an author's background and beliefs? (I don't trust Wikipedia, and I don't want to spend hours in research).

You are very wise to be leery of WP. I've spent time behind the scenes there, and oh, the stories I could tell. WP is best used for its references -- think of it as an external link farm, nothing more.

4) Do you have any other thoughts on this issue?

I can understand why you'd be interested in discovering biases, as it can give one a sense of standing on firm ground before diving into a subject, but TBH I sometimes wish that a work I'd read had been authored anonymously; I may find it utterly convincing yet be reluctant to reference it because the author's name carries negative baggage.