What is “fact”?
The dictionary definition of a fact is defined as “something that is known to have happened or exists, something that has a proof of existence” (Cambridge Dictionary). There are two parts to this definition. The first part states that a fact is something known to have happened or existed. However, perception contributes to observing something that has happened or existed relies on human senses. Working memory includes two subsystems: the auditory and visual systems (Schnotz & Kürschner,2007). The perception of any stimulus that builds up to an event relies on working memory and the entire memory encoding process that leads to the memory forming.
The experiment performed by Schnotz and Kürschner (2007) also indicates that visualization through text affects the structure of the mental model constructed, suggesting mental models are constructed and altered through any form of visualization. However, this effect is reduced when there are forms of external visualization present. This suggests that it is the meaning that participants assign the visual representations that affect how the piece of information is processed into the mental model and establish the definition for the fact. As Rozov (2010) points out, the content of knowledge is defined by interaction with the objects, not solely by the sensory experience. The encoding of sensory experience into memory is based on previous experience and metal models. Therefore, a fact is not only something that is known to have happened or existed because the definition of “happened” and “existed” can have different meanings from person to person.
The second part of the definition defines fact as something that has proof of existence. Unfortunately, the proof of existence can also be a vague one. Rozov (2010) suggests that all experiments to prove a hypothesis are meticulously planned, meaning the facts obtained from the proved experiments are also controlled and assigned meaning by humans. Therefore, the proof of existence from an experiment can positively reinforce a person’s belief or be disregarded. Because facts are ultimately the evidence of what humans choose to believe, as humans assign the meanings to them, they can be affected by preconception, meaning all types of heuristics and any new pieces of evidence that humans decide to believe in will be added as a fact in the mental model.
The addition of any piece of fact into the mental model is more subjective than imagined. Zolfagharian et al. (2014) draw the similarities between the theory of knowledge, the act of seeking to understand, and the system dynamics model. Theory of knowledge is described as justification and truth (Zolfagharian et al., 2014). Likewise, the mechanism of obtaining knowledge in a system dynamics model is also the act of justification. This idea overlaps with what Rozov (2010) comments about the knowledge acquired through controlled experiments.
According to Zolfagharian et al. (2014), system dynamics reflect our beliefs about the causes and effects of certain variables. Each system model contributes to knowledge around a problem; meaning system engineers look for justification of “beliefs in variables” surrounding a problem to reach knowledge with levels of truth that they believe in. Because of the relationship between variables, justification, and the belief in the facts obtained, any change in the system dynamics and the evolving system will have the possibility of changing what humans believe to be the facts.
References
Cambridge Dictionary. (n.d.). Fact. Retrieved May 10, 2021, from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/fact
Rozov, M. A. (2010). Engineering Design in Scientific Cognition. Journal of Russian & East European Psychology, 48(6), 45–66. https://doi.org/10.2753/rpo1061-0405480602
Schnotz, W., & Kürschner, C. (2007). External and internal representations in the acquisition and use of knowledge: visualization effects on mental model construction. Instructional Science, 36(3), 175–190. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-007-9029-2
Zolfagharian, M., Akbari, R., & Fartookzadeh, H. (2013). Theory of Knowledge in System Dynamics Models. Foundations of Science, 19(2), 189–207. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10699-013-9328-9