What Everyone Knows
&gt; Most of “what everyone knows” is true. Most of our knowledge as modern human beings is shared with many others. Everyone knows the capital of France is Paris, and it is true. Everyone knows how many letters in the alphabet, the color of stop lights, the shape of a rainbow. What everyone knows is usually correct. However, sometimes what everyone knows is wrong. Everyone knew humans could not fly, or build 100 stories into the air, or run a company renting out your extra bedroom. Turns out what everyone knows is sometimes wrong. But it is very hard to tell the difference.<p>The affirmative examples are all <i>conventions</i>. We know them to be true because it&#x27;s within our power to make it so just by agreeing with each other.<p>The negative examples are not conventions. They are about what will happen in the future.<p>So it&#x27;s not just &quot;sometimes what everyone knows it wrong.&quot; More like, on topics involving observation, deduction, or prediction what everyone &quot;knows&quot; is more likely to be wrong than right. The history of science provides ample evidence. Those claiming that &quot;the science is settled&quot; are trying to manipulate the public.