Jesse Richardson, Founder of ConspiracyTest.org, discusses the Conspiracy Test project, promoting critical thinking without shaming. They explore tough emotions, offer an ad for McDonald's new sauces, and talk about creating an online curriculum for critical thinking. Reflecting on past behavior, they emphasize connection and cooperation. Learn how to access free resources and support the Conspiracy Test and School of Thought projects.
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Quick takeaways
The Conspiracy Test promotes intellectual humility and open-mindedness to explore truth in an era of polarization and disinformation.
Probabilistic thinking and respectful conversations are advocated to combat misinformation and foster rationality and curiosity.
The Conspiracy Test utilizes metacognition and acknowledges that belief change occurs gradually over time through sustained effort and exposure to new ideas.
Deep dives
The Conspiracy Test: A Tool for Critical Thinking
The Conspiracy Test is a website and app created by Jesse Richardson and his organization, the School of Thought International. The inspiration behind the test was to provide people with a way to conduct their own critical thinking investigation into conspiracy theories. Rather than arguing or dismissing opposing views, the test encourages users to examine their own beliefs in a non-adversarial and curious manner. The test takes users through a series of steps, challenging their beliefs and skepticism about a specific conspiracy theory. It incorporates metacognition, introspection, and probabilistic thinking to foster intellectual humility and open-mindedness. The Conspiracy Test aims to promote understanding, cooperative reasoning, and the exploration of truth in an era of disinformation and polarization.
The Need for Intellectual Humility and Epistemic Doubt
The Conspiracy Test addresses the importance of intellectual humility and epistemic doubt in critical thinking. It recognizes that all reasoning is motivated and that confidence and certainty can be detrimental to truth-seeking. By fostering intellectual humility, individuals can approach discussions and investigations with an open mind and a willingness to listen and learn. The test aims to shift people away from black-and-white thinking toward probabilistic thinking, encouraging them to evaluate beliefs on a scale and recognize the limits of certainty. It advocates for respectful and curious conversations that prioritize understanding over dominance or proving one's point. Intellectual humility and epistemic doubt are seen as crucial in combatting misinformation and fostering a more rational and curious society.
The Power of Metacognition and Incremental Change
The Conspiracy Test utilizes metacognition and acknowledges the incremental nature of change in beliefs. Metacognition, or awareness of one's own thinking, is essential in fostering critical thinking skills. The test prompts users to reflect on their own beliefs, biases, and thinking processes. By encouraging metacognition, the test helps individuals challenge and evaluate their own reasoning. It also recognizes that belief change rarely occurs in a single setting, but rather over time and through exposure to new ideas and perspectives. The Conspiracy Test aims to plant seeds of doubt and introspection that can lead to gradual shifts in thinking and increased awareness of the limitations of one's own beliefs. It emphasizes that change is a long game and requires sustained effort and engagement.
Making Critical Thinking Engaging and Shareable
The Conspiracy Test stands out not only for its content but also for its engaging and highly produced format. The test uses humor, interactive elements, and graphics to create an enjoyable and thought-provoking experience. It aims to make critical thinking more accessible and shareable, moving away from adversarial arguments and towards collaborative reasoning. The test addresses the challenges posed by the attention economy, where confidence is often rewarded with attention and status. It advocates for a shift towards intellectual humility, curiosity, and cooperative engagement in discussions. By making critical thinking engaging and shareable, the Conspiracy Test hopes to combat misinformation and inspire a more rational and open-minded approach to understanding conspiracy theories.
The Impact and Future of the Conspiracy Test
The Conspiracy Test offers a unique approach to fostering critical thinking and curiosity about conspiracy theories. It invites users to conduct their own investigations, prioritizing introspection and cooperative reasoning. The test is part of the School of Thought International's broader efforts to popularize critical thinking and rationality. The organization aims to bridge the gap between academic communication and the general public, making critical thinking resources accessible to all. They have also launched the Critical Thinking Alliance, an initiative to bring together individuals and organizations working in the critical thinking space. With its focus on intellectual humility, metacognition, and incremental change, the Conspiracy Test has the potential to contribute to a more rational and open-minded society.
In this episode Jesse Richardson tells us all about ConspiracyTest.org, a new project designed to be a weird, fun, and cleverly educational way to explore just how skeptical you are (and could be) about a variety of conspiracy theories. The whole thing is designed to be very sharable and very viral, and it's launching right before Thanksgiving 2023 so that you can share it with your conspiracy-theory-entertaining friends and family over the holidays, in person or over social media (but you should definitely try it out on yourself first).
