In this episode, I talk with philosopher and author Andy Norman, founder of the Cognitive Immunology Research Collaborative and author of Mental Immunity. Andy shares how a provocative 1990s essay by Richard Dawkins sparked his lifelong pursuit to understand how bad ideas spread, and how we can protect our minds from them.
We unpack what it means to build mental immunity, why sketchy ideas behave like mind-viruses, and how habits of curiosity, humility, and self-reflection strengthen our cognitive defenses. Our conversation spans from the philosophy of reasoning to practical education reform, teaching students to “debug their minds,” recognize manipulation, and build communities of inquiry that value truth over tribalism.
Together we explore how critical thinking, critical ignoring, and cognitive germ theory can help us navigate today’s polluted information ecosystem, and why thinking is not only power, but freedom.
Do Minds Have Immune Systems? (article)
Mental Immunity: Infectious Ideas, Mind-Parasites, and the Search for a Better Way to Think (book)
Andy Norman’s site
CIRCE- The Cognitive Immunology Research Collaborative (Institute)
Declaration of CIRCE’s Blue-Ribbon Panel (vision statement and call to action)
The Mental Immunity Project (educational resources for strengthening mental immune systems)
Keywords: Andy Norman, cognitive immunology, critical thinking, critical ignoring, education, mind viruses, inoculation, belief
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Misguided: The Podcast | Podcast on Spotify
Misguided - YouTube
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