269 - Deconstructing How Minds Change - Michael Taft
Sep 14, 2023
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Michael Taft, a meditation teacher, interviews David McRaney about how minds change. They discuss writing the book 'How Minds Change', visiting the Westboro Baptist Church, the rapid shift in public opinion on same-sex marriage, the power of storytelling in communication, and exploring the origin and evolution of genius.
Introspective questioning and self-reflection can lead to a deeper understanding of one's own beliefs and potentially change one's mind.
Reflecting on the quality of our reasoning and seeking truth-in-scenario can improve introspective reasoning.
Questioning personal fallibility and considering a variety of perspectives can lead to a more comprehensive understanding of an issue and promote personal growth.
Deep dives
Understanding the power of persuasion techniques
Persuasion techniques, such as deep canvassing and street epistemology, aim to understand how individuals think and engage in respectful dialogue. These techniques can be applied to oneself by introspecting and questioning one's own beliefs, biases, and reasoning. One effective technique is to ask oneself on a scale of zero to ten about a specific issue and then inquire why that particular number feels right, considering other possible numbers. This introspective process can lead to a deeper understanding of one's own beliefs and potentially change one's mind.
The importance of context in reasoning
The context in which reasoning takes place greatly influences our beliefs and decision-making. The interactionist model suggests that humans have separate systems for producing and evaluating arguments. When interacting with others, we often produce arguments that are biased and lazy, as these arguments serve the purpose of converging on a group decision. However, when reasoning alone, we may lack the evaluation process, leading to biased reasoning. Reflecting on the quality of our reasoning, vetting our reasons, and seeking truth-in-scenario can help improve our introspective reasoning.
The significance of considering one's own fallibility
Taking a step back and considering personal fallibility is crucial in introspective reasoning. Asking oneself if they could be right about everything and being open to the possibility of being wrong can lead to a deeper analysis of one's beliefs. This process involves questioning the methods used to judge the quality of reasons and considering a variety of perspectives to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the issue at hand.
Applying introspective reasoning to personal growth and therapy
Introspective reasoning techniques can be valuable for personal growth and self-reflection. Through questioning and critically evaluating one's beliefs, biases, and justifications, individuals can gain insights into their own thinking patterns and improve their ability to reason effectively. Engaging in therapy can provide a supportive environment for this introspection and facilitate personal growth.
Exploring How Minds Change
The podcast episode centers around a book called 'How Minds Change.' The author discusses the motivation behind writing the book, which was not to provide a guide on changing people's minds, but rather to explore how minds actually change. The author mentions engaging with experts in neuroscience and psychology, and highlights the significance of understanding neurons and how they influence cognition. The conversation delves into topics like animal consciousness, reality tunnels, and the role of assimilation and accommodation in updating beliefs. The main focus of the book is understanding why minds resist change and how they can be more receptive to it, with specific insights into counter-arguing and the power of storytelling.
The Power of Storytelling in Persuasion
The second major theme of the podcast episode centers around the power of storytelling in persuasion. The author reflects on the impact of storytelling in various contexts, including therapeutic settings and deep canvassing. The concept of narrative transport is explored, where individuals become fully immersed in a story and cease to counter-argue. The author highlights the connection between storytelling and memory formation, noting that stories often align with how we make sense of our own experiences and how we communicate them to others. The importance of storytelling in evoking empathy and engaging audiences is emphasized, with references to books on the topic and personal anecdotes about the effectiveness of storytelling in various domains.
In celebration of How Minds Change, my new book, turning one-year-old, in this episode Michael Taft interviews David McRaney about how minds do and do not change, the process behind writing a book about that, and what he has learned since writing and promoting it.
Michael is a meditation teacher, bestselling author, and a mindfulness coach – and he specializes in secular, science-based mindfulness training. If you are interested in a science-based, secular book about meditation and and mindfulness, I highly recommend his book,The Mindful Geek, snd I recommend guided meditation with him. He offers that at The Alembic in Berkeley. You can join them virtually, over the internet. Links below.
I also recommend his podcast, Deconstructing Yourself. It is all about entheogens and neurofeedback and brain hacking. If you are a Carl Sagan loving, science endorsing, evidence based sort of person – a nerd, geek, or skeptic or humanist who wants to know more about meditation and deep dive into what we do and do not know about it – that's what his podcast is about. Sam Harris will be a guest on there soon, and I think many of you will love that episode.
