When people begin examining inherited beliefs, a common pattern emerges: intense scrutiny of the old view and surprising credulity toward the new one. Fair inquiry requires symmetry.
Questions to ask of any claim
What exactly is being claimed? What kind of claim is it — historical, empirical, moral, or metaphysical? What is the original source, and is it available to check? Who disagrees, and what are their best reasons? What would we expect to observe if the claim were false?
Beware of persuasive packaging
Confident speakers, emotional stories, and polished videos can be equally persuasive whether they are right or wrong. Popular content that promises to 'reveal the truth' — about religion, science or history — deserves the same caution as any authority you were taught not to question.
Confidence as a dial
Rather than sorting beliefs into true or false, try holding them with degrees of confidence. Record what supports that confidence and what would change it. Revision is intellectual discipline, not surrender.