Recently I attended a bachelor party in Mexico City, a gathering of remarkable individuals. These men were not only creative and accomplished, but also culturally curious and intellectually engaged. Our conversations spanned a range of topics in which my ideas were rigorously tested. The greatest delight in open discussion lies in supplanting old beliefs with new ones in the never-ending pursuit of truth.

But what does this entail? What is the interplay between ideas, truth, and debate?

Ideas as Parasites

During a lengthy hike (where many great thoughts begin), a friend posed a thought-provoking idea: Just as we subsist on other life forms, might there exist a genus that thrives on us? What if, instead of humans having ideas, ideas, in fact, have humans?

On closer inspection, ideas fit quite nicely into the broad definition of parasites.  They inhabit the host organism (us), flourishing at our expense. Ed Yong’s enthralling (and terrifying) TED talk reveals how some parasites manipulate their hosts’ behavior against their own best interests. The single-celled toxoplasma gondii emboldens rodents around felines, in which the parasite can complete its lifecycle. Likewise, tapeworms in brine shrimp turn their color red and congregate them in groups, consequently making them easier prey for flamingos, their final host. Our history books are replete with tales of humans who suffered for their convictions, from Cato to Pussy Riot.

Ideas propagate from person to person, through speech or media, their success hinging on their virality. Wars have been fought over competing ideas to see which will rule the world. Differing faiths, systems of government, and guidelines of morality have all led to real life human bloodshed. Self-determination vs monarchy, capitalism vs communism, we derive purpose in finding ideas worth living and dying for.

Ultimately, the ideas we embrace dictate the quality of our lives. They steer our paths and even shape the way in which we view the world. To transcend ideas is to transcend humanity itself. So if we must yield to their influence, it behooves us to ensure they’re the most robust ideas possible.

Truth as a Process

What does it really mean to know something? Karl Popper, in “The Logic of Scientific Discovery,” introduces the idea of falsification. He posits that ideas cannot be proven – only disproven. Our “truths” have merely not yet been shown false yet. Like world records, continually improved upon by generations of athletes, ideas evolve in the same fashion.

Take our place in the universe for example. First, we were at the center with all celestial bodies revolving around us (and flat to boot). Then the sun was at the center. Now we are relegated the outskirts of our own galaxy in a seemingly centerless universe.

Some ideas have developed a particularly insidious technique for self-preservation. They cunningly dissuade hosts from exposing them to scrutiny, fostering emotional attachment, and pre-emptively silencing dissent.

Consider the Roman Catholic Inquisition’s ultimatum to Galileo over his heliocentric evidence. He could recant or burn at the stake. It’s easy to judge them as backwards and barbaric but we all have this tendency towards censorship with respect to protecting the ideas we hold dear.

Debate as a Mechanism for Progress

An idea’s worth ought to be measured by its capacity to withstand the scrutiny of other ideas. Civil discourse, not combat, should be the battleground advancing us towards truth.

But when was the last time you watched pundits on live TV change their minds on a topic from public debate? The spectacle of debate exhibits all the wrong traits. Marred by personal attacks, quippy retorts, and disingenuous tactics, it serves more as tribalism for entertainment than an earnest search for truth. What a terrible example this sets for the rest of us.

Constructive debate involves embracing the refutation of our ideas, not as personal defeat, but as intellectual progress. We shouldn’t feel ashamed when an idea is falsified; we should celebrate. We must detach ourselves from our ideas; they are distinct from our essence. Enter debates not for the ego gratification of validating your parasite, but to assess if it’s worth hosting in the first place.

This is of course difficult for us progeny of chimpanzees, and that is precisely why it is so important. Adopting this mindset fosters respectful listening and genuine comprehension of opposing views.

Reflect on humanity’s journey in understanding the world. How many convictions have been completely upended over millennia? What hubris to presume we’re close to the end! Revel in the process of being proven wrong; it represents participation in the advancement of human knowledge. It’s cause for celebration. It signifies growth.