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Four Mind Traps
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Critical Thinking
FAQ
Why do we rely on authority figures for information?
Authority
We rely on authority figures because no one can personally verify everything. Authority saves time by acting as a shortcut through complexity. This isn’t irrational, but it is risky. The appeal to authority becomes a fallacy when trust replaces evidence, and when we stop checking whether an authority is accountable, evidence-based, and open to revision.
Four Mind Traps
Common Cognitive Errors
Recognizing where thinking goes wrong.
The Four Mind Traps identify recurring patterns of flawed reasoning. These traps—often subtle and emotionally persuasive—distort evidence, oversimplify complexity, and protect belief at the expense of truth. Recognizing them is the first step toward intellectual maturity.
Deep-Dive Articles
The Fermi Paradox is Too Anthropocentric
The Fermi Paradox is the common framework for thinking about the odds of alien life, but we need more data before it can become accurate enough to be useful.
Neanderthal Clue: Reassessing Intelligence Beyond Human Bias
A fresh new look at our cousins.
The Four Mind Traps: Logical Fallacies, Cognitive Biases, Heuristics, and Stereotypes
The Four Mind Traps are predictable thinking errors that distort judgment before reasoning even begins.
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Ancient Humans
Neanderthal Clue: Reassessing Intelligence Beyond Human Bias
A fresh new look at our cousins.
TST Four Mind Traps
The Four Mind Traps: Logical Fallacies, Cognitive Biases, Heuristics, and Stereotypes
The Four Mind Traps are predictable thinking errors that distort judgment before reasoning even begins.
New Ideas
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Updated Articles
Logical Fallacies
Logical Fallacies Overview
Critical Thinking
Logical fallacies are not random mistakes: they follow recognizable strategies that derail reasoning.
Fri 7 Dec 2018
(7 years ago)
Updated 2 weeks ago.
Logical Fallacies
Appeal to Authority Logical Fallacy
Authority
An appeal to authority treats who said something as evidence. It puts who over why and source over evidence.
Sun 24 Feb 2019
(7 years ago)
Updated 2 weeks ago.
Cognitive Biases | Cosmology | Futurism
The Fermi Paradox is Too Anthropocentric
Fermi Paradox
The Fermi Paradox is the common framework for thinking about the odds of alien life, but we need more data before it can become accurate enough to be useful.
Sun 29 Dec 2024
(1 year ago)
Updated 4 weeks ago.