Trifling Details, Facts, and Workable Theories

Because of what we now call the "fog of war" (and Sun Tzu called the "muddiness of war"), both sides in any contest tend to see reality as they choose, through the filter of their own theories. Where is there hard fact? Which theories are really workable? Sun Tzu teaches that the truth is found in the "trifling details," that is, the smallest, most detailed solid evidence. These details may seem so small that they seem unimportant, but Sun Tzu teaches us that we must change our theories when the smallest solid fact that doesn't fit our existing theory.

Modern science is built on this idea. There is no establish truth. There are only theories that explain the facts. When a theory doesn't explain a troubling fact, no matter how small, the theory need to be changed. It was a trifling detail, the constant speed of light, that led to Einstein to reinvent our view of the universe, overthrowing Newton and all of science.

Today, we need to take this approach in analyzing news stories. A good example is found in the current Rathergate dispute over the documents used by CBS. CBS has the theory that these documents are accurate and their defense of the apparent inconsistencies in these documents are all soft focus. Some typewriters of the era had proportional spacing. Some type writers could do superscripting. The font used had been invented in that period. They attempt to brush of those more stubborn facts, such as whether or not curly quotes existed bact then as "trifling details," too small and unimportant to worry about. Meanwhile, those attacking the documents focus on the specifics that, like the curious constant speed of light, will not go away.

Sometimes, to find the best theory, you just have to ask: who is defending their argument with specific evidence and who is defending their theory with generalities that are used to gloss over the stubborn facts.