Facts
Facts are established or justifiable elements of reality that are distinguished from opinions, interpretations and assessments.
Definition
In development practice, a fact is a support for thinking: something that can be checked, described or justified. This does not mean that every fact is simple or that we always have direct access to it. Reliable work with facts requires separating observations from conclusions, emotions and narrative.
Key ideas
- Separating observation from interpretation
- Verifiability and justification
- Facts as a basis for decisions
Practice and life
In case of a controversial situation, write down three columns: what I know, how I know it and what I interpret. Base your decision on the first two columns first.
Common misconceptions
It is a mistake to treat a strong belief as fact. It is also a mistake to ignore facts just because they are emotionally inconvenient.
> A fact does not have to be comfortable to be a point of support.
> — Guru Element
Questions for self-reflection
- What is fact and what is interpretation?
- What source confirms this information?
- Do my emotions turn observations into assessments?