Inner Cosmos with David Eagleman Ep138 "Why do our political brains mistake opinion for truth?" with Kaizen Asiedu
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Jan 26, 2026 Kaizen Asiedu, a philosopher-turned-political commentator who runs Clear Thinker, discusses why certainty in politics often feels truer than it is. He explores why conspiracies thrive, how social identity and outrage entrench beliefs, and why simple, emotional narratives beat complex truth. Conversation covers teaching clearer reasoning, social media’s amplification, and using AI and debate training to raise the rhetorical bar.
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Conspiracies Feed Identity, Not Truth
- Conspiratorial thinking satisfies the desire to belong to a special in-group with secret knowledge.
- It trades epistemic humility for intellectual hubris and unfalsifiable claims.
Avoid Exhaustive Debunking
- Don't try to refute every conspiratorial claim; it's a losing, resource-intensive game (Brandolini's law).
- Focus on teaching reasoning and sources rather than attempting exhaustive debunking.
Teach Logic Early In Schools
- Teach logic early: treat formal logic like verbal math in schools alongside arithmetic.
- Use logic to raise standards for reasoning and reduce reliance on passion as proof.
