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Concept
Idola tribus
Summary
Idola tribus (singular Idolum tribus) is a category of logical fallacy, normally translated as "Idols of the Tribe", which refers to a tendency of human nature to prefer certain types of incorrect conclusions. It is a Latin term, coined by Sir Francis Bacon and used in his Novum Organum, one of the earliest treatises arguing the case for the methodical approach of modern science.
The idols of the tribe form one of four such groups of "idols" which represent "idols and false notions which are now in possession of the human understanding, and have taken deep root therein, not only so beset men's minds that truth can hardly find entrance, but even after entrance is obtained, they will again in the very instauration of the sciences meet and trouble us, unless men being forewarned of the danger fortify themselves as far as may be against their assaults.
Besides idola tribus, there are also:
idola specus (Idols of the Cave, caused by one's personal peculiarities and experiences)
idola fori (Idols of the Market Place, caused by language)
idola theatri (Idols of the Theatre, caused by philosophers)
And so in this category are cases of people being misled by anthropomorphism. In more detail, Bacon enumerated several specific such barriers to science which are part of human nature, coming into the "Idols of the Tribe" category:
"The human understanding is of its own nature prone to suppose the existence of more order and regularity in the world than it finds."
"The human understanding when it has once adopted an opinion (either as being the received opinion or as being agreeable to itself) draws all things else to support and agree with it."
"The human understanding is moved by those things most which strike and enter the mind simultaneously and suddenly, and so fill the imagination; and then it feigns and supposes all other things to be somehow, though it cannot see how, similar to those few things by which it is surrounded."
"The human understanding is unquiet; it cannot stop or rest, and still presses onward, but in vain.
Official source
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