Cta8 Critical Thinking

There are certain professions that are prestigious, and with this comes authority. Hearers tend to look up to these people. They may use their authority to influence the hearers and end up stating claims that have no proof.
Regarding claims from an authority. Sagan’s point is that an extra ordinary claim requires an extra ordinary proof. In demon haunted world Carl Sagan states that the cure for a fallacious argument is a better argument, not the suppression of ideas (Sagan, pg. 426). His point of view is that every claim should be received with skepticism, but people shouldn’t be skeptical about everything because it will limit them from acquiring new ideas and make you not progress.
Carl Sagan comes in with his point of view of being skeptical in scrutinizing claims and partly differs with Robert Thouless’s writing but at the same time being open to new ideas. Always try to balance the two conflicting sides.
All the professions listed by Thouless have such influence those who hear them but today there influence is reduced because of increased access to information that people can use to question claims from them and also because science and technology is very advanced, explains phenomena, situations, and circumstances the profession would use to influence their hearers.
Bishops are examples of professions of high influence on people. They are high ranking religious leaders that considered servants of God and convey His word to people through preaching. Because of their prestigious positions they possess great authority over people and can easily influence their hearers with or without concrete evidences. Their main points of references are religious books that emphasize on faith rather than facts and figures to encourage people to change their ways of living and abide by the way of the church. That there is the belief of heaven and hell but no evidence of their existence, yet people believe that when they die they to either of them depending on their deeds while alive.