It happens in religion vs science, too: People seem to want "absolute truth". Science doesn't provide this, because it's capable of correcting itself when it's wrong, and it always leaves open the possibility that the prevailing theory could be inaccurate. Religion does claim to provide certainty, because it rarely changes its views.
In the common conception, changing your mind means you were wrong, and therefore fallible. The concept that making mistakes is an essential part of finding the best answer doesn't seem to have entered the collective consciousness much. |
