Think It Through: the Clearer Thinking Podcast

Send us a textIn this episode, April admits that she doesn't always calmly and rationally think things through; but hey, neither do you. Why? Heuristics, that's why. She discusses these handy, if sometimes problematic, mental shortcuts that help get us through the day without our brains literally exploding. And by literally, I mean figuratively; but literally sounds better, plus it makes a great mental image--KABOOM!!!Episode 32 Show Notes:I've recommended Daniel Kahneman's book before, and I'll probably do it again:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11468377-thinking-fast-and-slowInteresting article about the history and origins of heuristics: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-heuristic-2795235A basic discussion of heuristics:https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/heuristicsDr. Weinberger's blog explaining our unconscious mind: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-unconscious/202001/how-the-unconscious-worksAn easy to read but fairly comprehensive article discussing many aspects of heuristics, including the different types of heuristics and when our brain is likely to use them: https://www.simplypsychology.org/what-is-a-heuristic.htmlYou're probably aware that some of these jobs are dangerous, but others may surprise you with their position on this list: https://www.ishn.com/articles/112748-top-25-most-dangerous-jobs-in-the-united-statesThe Decision Lab's article goes into some detail about how our brains use heuristics:https://thedecisionlab.com/insights/society/tdl-perspectives-what-are-heuristicsOver-reliance on heuristics can lead to stereotyping in the workplace: https://www.engagetu.com/2020/01/28/heuristics-and-workplace-bias/Kendra Cherry's excellent article about decision making: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-affect-heuristic-2795028#:~:text=The%20affect%20heuristic%20is%20a%20type%20of%20mental,role%20in%20the%20choices%20and%20decisions%20you%20make

Send us a textIn this episode, April realizes that the difference between science and pseudoscience isn't a distinct line, it's more of a continuum. Nevertheless, science remains scientific, while pseudoscience is, well, not so much.Episode 31 Show Notes:Here's the Science Council's definition of science:https://sciencecouncil.org/about-science/our-definition-of-science/ Great discussion of the topic by Lillienfeld, Lynn, and Amaratti:https://scottlilienfeld.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/lilienfeld2015-5.pdfAn extensive discussion of the differences from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy:https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/pseudo-science/Mario Bunge's article on "cognitive fields:"https://cursosist2010.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/bungepseureduc.pdfGreat article from the Boston Review about Karl Popper and the pros and cons of falsification:https://www.bostonreview.net/articles/michael-d-gordin-fate-falsification/Newsweek article about "Behind the Curve:"https://www.newsweek.com/behind-curve-netflix-ending-light-experiment-mark-sargent-documentary-movie-1343362Good article that explains "bad" science:https://www.digitaljournal.com/tech-science/why-some-science-is-actually-bad-science/article/455538ThoughtCo's article about "hard" and "soft" science:https://www.thoughtco.com/hard-vs-soft-science-3975989Well, yeah, bad and fraudulent science is a problem:https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/09/scientific-misconduct-retraction-watchFun and interesting (but ultimately serious) webpage with lots of great information about pseudoscience by Dr. Rory Koker:https://web2.ph.utexas.edu/~coker2/index.files/distinguish.htmEmily Willingham's Forbes artlcle about commercial pseudoscientific claims:https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilywillingham/2012/11/08/10-questions-to-distinguish-real-from-fake-science/?sh=156ddfb6146c

Send us a textIn this short episode,  April discusses how grief affects our brains--hers in particular, because she just lost one of her best friends and it hurts. So this might be more for her than for you, but you should listen anyway.The good news is that she'll be ok. Eventually...Episode 30 Show NotesGreat article from the Today Show website about how our mind deals with death:https://www.today.com/health/mind-body/grief-changes-brain-rcna13613Two excellent NPR articles that reference works and interviews with grief specialist Mary Frances O'Connor:https://www.npr.org/2021/11/04/1052498852/what-happens-in-the-brain-when-we-grievehttps://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/12/20/1056741090/grief-loss-holiday-brain-healingDr Lisa Shulman discusses brain neuroplasticity and dealing with loss:https://www.americanbrainfoundation.org/how-tragedy-affects-the-brain/#:~:text=Grief%20and%20loss%20affect%20the%20brain%20and%20body,lead%20to%20cognitive%20effects%2C%20such%20as%20brain%20fogPsych Central article about how grief affects your physical and mental health:https://psychcentral.com/lib/your-health-and-grief

Send us a textIn this episode, April talks to Dr. Eunette Gentry about the public's lack of trust in the press and why we should have more faith in journalists and reporters. It's about codes of ethics, people! Episode 29 Show NotesThis Gallup poll shows the low percentage of trust that the public has in the media: https://news.gallup.com/poll/394817/media-confidence-ratings-record-lows.aspxHere's the article about the press as the "Fourth Estate:" https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-the-fourth-estate-3368058Marianne Jennings' great article on journalistic ethics: https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/the-evolutionand-devolutionof-journalistic-ethics/The First Amendment Encyclopedia's article on "yellow journalism:" https://mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/1253/yellow-journalismAiden White's article on the origins of ethical journalism: https://ethicaljournalismnetwork.org/journalism-ethicsThis fascinating webpage is the Public Affairs page of the US Diplomatic Mission to Germany, and goes into the history of media ethics in the US: https://usa.usembassy.de/media-ethics.htm#:~:text=%E2%80%A2%20Yahoo%20-%20Media%20Ethics%20and%20Accountability%20The,accelerating%20the%20U.S.%20exit%20from%20an%20unpopular%20warThe Associated Press Managing Editors Code of Ethics: http://www.columbia.edu/itc/journalism/j6075/edit/ethiccodes/APME.html#:~:text=Associated%20Press%20Managing%20Editors%20CODE%20OF%20ETHICS%20This,or%20who%20influence%2C%20news%20coverage%20and%20editorial%20policy.The Society of Professional Journalist's Code of Ethics: https://www.spj.org/pdf/spj-code-of-ethics.pdfEthics codes from many journalistic sources can be found here: https://www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/~rcollins/431ethics/codes.htm#:~:text=Professional%20Codes%20of%20Ethics%20American%20Society%20of%20Newspaper,and%20renamed%20%22Statement%20of%20Principles%22%20in%201975.%20PREAMBLE.The Philippe Perebinossoff Ethics Rubric: EVALUATE --The ethical situation needs to be examined in a number of different ways, not just from a single perspective. TRUTH --Make sure you have a clear definition of the facts as well as a definition that can be agreed upon by others. HARM--Consider what harm is likely to ensue from a given action. Real-world situations are involved, and media rumors can ruin lives. INVESTIGATION--Investigation involves going beyond a cursory review, and digging deep to gather the necessary information.CODE OF ETHICS--Codes provide valuable guidelines that can facilitate ethical decision making. SITUATIONAL ETHICS--Approach issues on a case-by-case basis that allows you to adjust ethical beliefs t

Send us a textIn this episode, April explains linguistic ambiguity, equivocation, and the equivocation fallacy. She also tells some really bad jokes. Episode 28 Show Notes:Moore, Brooke and Parker, Richard. Critical Thinking. McGraw Hill. 2017.This is current textbook I use to teach my Critical Reasoning class. Much of what I say here about the types of linguistic ambiguity is taken from this excellent text. ThoughtCo is a reference site that focuses on educational content. Their articles are written by highly qualified educators and experienced instructors.https://www.thoughtco.com/polysemy-words-and-meanings-1691642How many words are there in the English language? This article will tell you:https://englishlive.ef.com/blog/language-lab/many-words-english-language/This WhatIs.com article discusses how linguistic ambiguity makes it difficult for artificial intelligence (and of course people) to decode language:https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/linguistic-ambiguity#:~:text=Linguistic%20ambiguity%20is%20a%20quality%20of%20language%20that,program%20to%20reliably%20decode%20without%20some%20additional%20informationHere's a good discussion of the expectancy violation and humor:https://thecriticalcomic.com/incongruity-theory/#:~:text=Expectancy%20Violations%20Aristotle%20also%20thought%20humor%20occurred%20with,disappointed%20expectation%20makes%20us%20laugh.%E2%80%9D%20%28ch.%2063%3B%20Morreal%29Was that really the world's funniest joke? According to this guy, it is:https://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2014/03/07/287250640/what-is-the-funniest-joke-in-the-worldDr. Itamar Schatz gives a detailed description of equivocation with excellent examples. You should definitely read this:https://effectiviology.com/equivocation/Another good explanation  of the equivocation falllacy:https://examples.yourdictionary.com/equivocation-fallacy-examples.htmlWhat speech is considered "unprotected?" Here you go:https://legalknowledgebase.com/what-speech-is-illegal-in-the-usNo, of COURSE we don't "torture." Except we do (or did, anyway):https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna9956644

Send us a textIn this episode, April discusses the concept of intellectual humility, which is something that people could use more of (and by "people," she means herself).Episode 27 Show Notes (so many really good sources!!!):Here's Ed Kang's article from the website YouEQ: https://www.you-eq.com/news-events/emotional-intelligence-skills-intellectual-humility#:~:text=According%20to%20Pepperdine%20University%2C%20there%20are%20four%20dimensions,intellect%204%20Willingness%20to%20revise%20one%E2%80%99s%20own%20viewpointAnother good article from the John Templeton Foundation website (there's also a great YouTube video there called "The Joy of Being Wrong"): https://www.templeton.org/discoveries/intellectual-humilityBrian Resnick's Vox article, from which I gleaned a LOT of information:https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2019/1/4/17989224/intellectual-humility-explained-psychology-replicationThis is a great, in-depth discussion of intellectual humility by Shane Snow: https://www.shanesnow.com/articles/intellectual-humility#intellectual-humility-introWhile this author and I are on different sides of some important issues, she speaks a lot of truth, and I have great respect for her:https://aleteia.org/2017/08/05/even-if-we-disagree-i-respect-you/Kate Horowitz on the connection between overconfidence and lack of intellectual growth: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/76773/overconfidence-can-stunt-your-intellectual-growth-study-says#:~:text=Being%20overconfident%20is%20a%20barrier%20to%20intellectual%20growth%2C,they%20do%20and%20what%20they%20do%20not%20know.%22How acknowledging our intellectual limitations leads to knowledge:https://www.konsyse.com/articles/what-is-intellectual-humility-why-is-it-important/Gregg Enriquez's discussion of ego: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/theory-knowledge/202105/what-is-the-egoElizabeth Svoboda on why changing our minds is so difficult: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_is_it_so_hard_to_change_peoples_mindsMatthew Buckley discusses ways to talk to people with whom you disagree: https://www.psychreg.org/respect-other-peoples-opinion/

Send us a textApril discusses the importance of questions and the difference between questions designed to gain knowledge and questions used to manipulate. Plus she says the word "bullshit" several times so she has to label this episode "explicit." Oh well. Show Notes:Kids and questions: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/curious-children-questions-parenting-mum-dad-google-answers-inquisitive-argos-toddlers-chad-valley-tots-town-a8089821.htmlhttps://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/importance-kids-asking-questions/ Guy who used his dead mom's ballot to vote for Trump:https://news.yahoo.com/officials-finally-found-case-dead-225210492.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmluZy5jb20v&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAM0A4VXI1H4LuNUipKSSuf7V_DVFGlNRgL8-pd1LeyPDhkaqX5KS_lr7OOo4ME78IKjwhXfzxYe2A__xUp9j8X-uxHFcMs_LFIs5U19hXhpDcuIXFePv7ivYp5ooE5T8ZLiaV24pO5wsozTmnpB8fSHv3s_qlM_i0ECwTu_vt7ekMore examples of people who AREN'T Democrats using their dead relatives to vote for their favorite politicians:https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/another-gop-voter-caught-casting-ballot-dead-relative-n1276965Still more examples, debunking Fox news pundits who used them as "evidence" that the election was stolen:https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/10/25/trump-team-fox-news-alleged-dead-voters-most-cases-were-either-debunked-or-actually-involved-republicans/Randy Rainbow is awesome: https://www.randyrainbow.com/A description of the way that “just asking questions” actually shifts the burden of proof: https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Just_asking_questionsFinally, I return to a discussion of Brandolini’s law: http://ordrespontane.blogspot.com/2014/07/brandolinis-law.htmlFrank Sesno's book: https://www.amazon.com/Ask-More-Questions-Uncover-Solutions/dp/0814436714/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8The five legitimate questions to ask to determine if something is bullshit: https://www.fastcompany.com/3068589/how-to-fine-tune-your-bullshit-detectorLiving Room Conversations stuff:https://209859-635214-1-raikfcquaxqncofqfm.stackpathdns.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/NEW-Immigration.pdfhttps://livingroomconversations.org/

Send us a textYes, she's back!!! In this episode, April discusses "algorithm literacy" as a critical part of overall media literacy. It's important to understand that algorithms, while they are a necessary and useful part of the online universe, also play a big role in online polarization and the normalization of  extreme viewpoints.  The more you know about them, the more effectively you can control what you see online. Episode 25 Show Notes:Here's the article discussing the results of the study by Project Information Literacy:https://www.edsurge.com/news/2020-01-16-report-colleges-must-teach-algorithm-literacy-to-help-students-navigate-internetPew Research Center's discussion of the need for algorithm literacy:https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2017/02/08/theme-7-the-need-grows-for-algorithmic-literacy-transparency-and-oversight/The Algorithm and Data Literacy Project, a great source for kids to learn about algorithms (you'll find the YouTube video I mentioned in the podcast here):https://algorithmliteracy.org/A LibGuides page from the University of Singapore's website on the topic of algorithm literacy: https://libguides.nus.edu.sg/digitalliteracy/algorithmPaper by Harvard professors  Cetina Presuel and Martinez Sierra on the problems caused by social media platforms' reluctance to see themselves as news publishers and distributors:http://www.scielo.org.pe/pdf/rcudep/v18n2/2227-1465-rcudep-18-02-261.pdfPBS Nova investigates the spread of radical extremism on social media through algorithms:https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/radical-ideas-social-media-algorithms/Troubling information about the ways that Russian troll farms used Facebook algorithms to spread disinformation before the 2020 election:https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/09/16/1035851/facebook-troll-farms-report-us-2020-election/Financial Times op-ed advocating for more accountability of social media algorithms:https://www.ft.com/content/39d69f80-5266-4e22-965f-efbc19d2e776Some helpful articles with tips and tricks about how individuals can limit the influence of algorithms:From Mashable: https://mashable.com/article/how-to-avoid-algorithms-facebook-youtube-twitter-instagramFrom LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-reduce-effect-algorithms-your-behavior-worldview-guide-mikko/From BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-38769996

Send us a textOk, I'm back from running my half-marathon and, as promised, here are the sources I used in this episode:Some great ideas about how to avoid giving up on your resolutions:https://www.forbes.com/sites/markmurphy/2020/02/11/this-is-the-month-when-new-years-resolutions-fail-heres-how-to-save-them/?sh=d96f742272f0Here's a great article from psychologist Elizabeth Lombardo:https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/better-perfect/201901/the-number-one-mistake-people-make-while-making-resolutionsAnother great article about the ways the perfectionist fallacy can hinder our progress:https://medium.com/syndicate-post/the-perfectionist-fallacy-and-how-to-overcome-it-c8cef7fc6c9Blogger and self-professed recovering perfectionist Vix Anderton gives some great advice about resolutions:https://medium.com/the-recovering-perfectionist/a-perfectionists-guide-to-new-year-s-resolutions-8de847986589Harvard Business Review's analysis of studies on perfectionism:https://hbr.org/2018/12/the-pros-and-cons-of-perfectionism-according-to-researchIf you want to start running, here's a great program called Couch to 5K:https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/wfhtn/documents/5k_training_program_running.pdf

Send us a textIn this episode, April can't decide whether to pronounce "deductive" as "DEE-duk-tiv" or "de-DUK-tive," so she just switches back and forth between them to see if anyone notices. Episode 23 Show Notes:Why Sherlock Holmes is more an inductive than a deductive kind of guy:https://medium.com/@daniellekkincaid/the-sherlock-holmes-conundrum-or-the-difference-between-deductive-and-inductive-reasoning-ec1eb2686112http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/5306/1/Holmes.pdf Some good basic information about deductive reasoning:https://www.criticalthinking.com/articles/induction-vs.-deductionhttp://www2.fairmontstate.edu/users/ffidura/cogpsy/cpthnkng.htmlhttps://www.livescience.com/21569-deduction-vs-induction.htmlhttps://examples.yourdictionary.com/deductive-reasoning-examples.htmlJesse Martin’s LinkedIn blogpost about the importance of deductive reasoning:https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/science-learning-deductive-reasoning-jesse-martinMy evidence (for the example syllogism) that Japanese has a homogeneous population and everyone there speaks Japanese:https://www.studycountry.com/guide/JP-language.htm#:~:text=Ethnically%2C%20culturally%20and%20linguistically%2C%20Japan,Japanese%20as%20their%20first%20language.My support for the claim (in my other example) that not all people who are in favor of public health options are socialists:https://morningconsult.com/2021/03/24/medicare-for-all-public-option-polling/ Job websites recognize the necessity for good deductive reasoning skills in the workplace:https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/improve-deductive-reasoning-skillshttps://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/deductive-skillshttps://www.glassdoor.com/blog/guide/deductive-reasoning/ The research that shows most of us can do deductive reasoning:https://digest.bps.org.uk/2008/12/11/sudoku-puzzles-show-were-all-capable-of-deductive-reasoning/ What’s going on in your brain when you do puzzles? Read these:https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brain-workout/200904/puzzles-and-the-brainhttps://www.rd.com/article/what-happens-to-your-brain-when-do-a-puzzle/ Some fun/frustrating logic puzzles:https://parade.com/970343/parade/logic-puzzle