Confidence is what tends to make an argument convincing. And that’s actually a big problem. Because it means that we’re susceptible to being influenced by arguments that aren’t factual. The term Con Man actually means Confidence Man.

Non-factual arguments can be quite convincing. Such arguments are often accompanied by emotional appeals—statements that stir up various emotions in the listener, such as fear, anger and euphoria. They can also contain partial truths.

The main question to ask yourself when assessing the accuracy of someone’s statement is: what are they leaving out? They might not even be attempting to deceive you. They might have been deceived by someone else. They might be parroting what they’ve heard or read from other sources that seem convincing to them.

The only way to be certain that what someone is saying is correct is to thoroughly research the subject yourself, with an objective mind. Seek the truth, with a willingness to accept it, whatever it turns out to be.