In the Ted Talk, “Three Kinds of Bias that Shape your Worldview,” J. Marshall Shepard explains how our perceptions on science are shaped. He explains how confirmation bias, the Dunning-Kruegar effect, and cognitive dissonance affect how we look at science. He shows us how these thinking habits can create a close minded perception of science. He suggests that we counteract these thinking habits by questioning your biases and your sources on science (Shepard). The points Shepard makes are important to broadening your worldview because it shows how only listening to one perspective on something can lead to not getting the full picture. By questioning your biases and looking at different perspectives, your understanding of the world broadens because of the new knowledge you have gained on the different perspectives that are not like your own.

In the article, “Indigenous Stories Reveal the Science of the World Around Us,” Dr. Shandin Pete describes how Native American stories contain scientific facts that could help scientists figure out what the Earth used to look like. Pete explains why these stories might be important to scientists today, “These stories can provide a means to document and transmit many thousands of years of observation of a landscape – data sets from modern science reach back only hundreds of years,” (Pete). This is an important point in broadening the understanding of the world because it could predict what the Earth will look like in the future. By studying different stories from different cultures, we can learn new things about science and in turn broaden our perspective of the world.

In the essay, “Stories, Dreams, and Ceremonies: Anishinaabe ways of learning,” Leanne Simpson describes how aboriginal young people were taught about spiritual and mental wellness. Their learning was focused on personal experience rather than the formal schooling in Western societies. These teachings are still occurring today in Anishinaabe tribes. Simpson explains why it is important to discuss different methods of learning, “Communities are best equipped to decide. Some will use Western scientific methods, while some communities may use collaborative or participatory methods to work with outside researchers,” (Simpson). Learning about different cultures and their ways of teaching is important in broadening the understanding of the world because it helps to discover what the best method of teaching is for a community. By learning our understanding of the world will naturally broaden.

Works Cited

Fernandes, Roger. “Roger Fernandes Intro Video Revised.” YouTube, James Parker, 28 September 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6sS1ZI8dDk.

Pete, Shandin. “Indigenous Stories Reveal the Science of the World Around Us.” UBC News, The University of British Columbia, 22 March 2022, news.ubc.ca/2022/03/22/indigenous-stories-reveal-the-science-of-the-world-around-us/.

Shepherd, J. Marshall. “3 Kinds of Bias That Shape Your Worldview.” TED Talk, Mar. 2018, www.ted.com/talks/j_marshall_shepherd_3_kinds_of_bias_that_shape_your_worldview?language=en.

Simpson, Leanne. “Stories, Dreams, and Ceremonies: Anishinaabe ways of learning.” Tribal College Journal of American Indian Higher Education, 15 May 2000, https://bemidjistate.learn.minnstate.edu/content/2023/6334427-20243244017S/Stories,%20Dreams,%20and%20Ceremonies_%20Anishinaabe%20ways%20of%20learning.pdf?_&d2lSessionVal=G4a29Ua8ABj1yj5vlznZthlyx.