Epistemology and Politics, Part II

Michael P. is quite right to call our attention to the pervasive problem of the distorting effect that political loyalty can have on one's acceptance and appreciation of the facts.  (That this problem is a real one makes it all the more unfortunate, of course, that political leaders and partisans so often misrepresent those facts to their partisan advantage.)  In my experience, almost all engaged and intelligent people are aware of this problem, and yet are tempted (understandably) to imagine that it only besets those with whom they disagree.  And so it goes . . .