The Work Required to Have an Opinion

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The basic dilemma in holding an independent opinion arises from the question of why one should do so when there is always someone who knows more. This leads to the paradox of judging the expertise of others when one does not have the right answer. The key wisdom of the current time lies in knowing when and how to defer to others, especially in the age of easily accessible information. It is important to be epistemically modest, remain a critical reader, and possess the ability to evaluate the quality of sources. The strategy for improving judgement involves triangulation with trusted individuals, intense use of the internet to cross-check and investigate information, and the willingness to learn from differing opinions.

In the fifth installment in a series of episodes, The Knowledge Project curates essential segments from five guests revolving around one theme: learning and thinking. This episode will help you create an environment that’s more conducive to clear thinking, improve your intuition, learn the difference between the two main modes of thinking, examine the learning process, use “online experimentation” to develop good judgment, and eliminate blind spots in your thought processes. The guests on this episode are psychologist and economist Daniel Kahneman (Episode 68), engineering professor Barbara Oakley (Episode 31), author and global macro advisor Adam Robinson (Episodes 47 and 48), economist and professor Tyler Cowen (Episode 39), and author and organizational psychology professor Adam Grant (Episode 112).

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