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Embrace critical thinking to better overcome pseudoscience and innoculate yourself (and your students) against sketchy science claims. Making better decisions is one goal of critical thinking. Deepening one’s knowledge of critical thinking strategies and adopting a skeptical attitude can help. Doing so can also assist during encounters with pseudoscience or other “sketchy” ideas. Let’s take a look at some findings.
Embrace critical thinking to better overcome pseudoscience and innoculate yourself (and your students) against sketchy science claims. Making better decisions is one goal of critical thinking. Deepening one’s knowledge of critical thinking strategies and adopting a skeptical attitude can help. Doing so can also assist during encounters with pseudoscience or other “sketchy” ideas. Let’s take a look at some findings.
Quote to Ponder
Quote to Ponder
“If we teach only the findings and products of science – no matter how useful and even inspiring they may be – without communicating its critical method, how can the average person possibly distinguish science from pseudoscience?” -Carl Sagan
“If we teach only the findings and products of science – no matter how useful and even inspiring they may be – without communicating its critical method, how can the average person possibly distinguish science from pseudoscience?” -Carl Sagan
Why Do We Think As We Do?
Why Do We Think As We Do?
Believing is easier than knowing. Pseudoscience relies on beliefs that sound scientific but are not. That’s because we seek to affirm what we believe or our worldview.
Believing is easier than knowing. Pseudoscience relies on beliefs that sound scientific but are not. That’s because we seek to affirm what we believe or our worldview.
trust the source (e.g. a family member, close friend, colleague). What we believe and what we share flows from whom we identify with. If those we identify with disagree with an aspect of science, we do as well.
are convinced by the reasons offered (e.g. you accept reasons without critically analyzing them). Thinking is hard. It’s easier to assume something is true because it’s what we want, and we don’t have to think about it, even if it is false.
are helped by these beliefs (e.g. you feel relief or better because of them). We all have beliefs that are certain. It’s that certainty that is the problem. Scientists are more tentative about what is held to be true since new evidence can change that truth.
you may have biases that interfere with your reasoning. If you have a bias, failing to identify it can skew your reasoning when examing evidence. That means your bias can lead you to the conclusion you want rather than the conclusion the facts point to.
Most of our worldview lies in deep and shallow culture (see Zaretta Hammond's The Culture Tree). If someone we trust tells us something, we're inclined to believe it.
Biases All of Us Have
Biases All of Us Have
Confirmation Bias: We are more likely to seek out and agree with judgements or analses that fit our worldview rather than anything that challenges it.
Negativity Bias: Our brains try to protect us from threats, and it is aware of negative things.
There are many types of cognitive bias. See a LONG list here. (another representation)
Quote to Ponder
Quote to Ponder
"Do anecdotes reflect the evidence? Find anecdotes that best represent the evidence, that are exemplars of the concept, and use it to explain the concept" says Melanie Trecek-King, Thinking is Power
"Do anecdotes reflect the evidence? Find anecdotes that best represent the evidence, that are exemplars of the concept, and use it to explain the concept" says Melanie Trecek-King, Thinking is Power
"It's Flat, isn't it?"
"It's Flat, isn't it?"
A lack of critical thinking in the classroom may reflect a low level of trust in general. Consider this:
A lack of critical thinking in the classroom may reflect a low level of trust in general. Consider this:
Many people don’t trust the society around them, most notably the representatives of that society. That trust often falls even further when it comes to elite representatives of that society, which include government officials, members of academia, and scientists like me. By claiming that Earth is flat, people are really expressing a deep distrust of scientists and science itself. So if you find yourself talking to a flat-Earther, skip the evidence and arguments and ask yourself how you can build trust. (source)
Quote to Ponder
Quote to Ponder
"We are trying to prove ourselves wrong as quickly as possible, because only in that way can we find progress" says Richard Feynman
"We are trying to prove ourselves wrong as quickly as possible, because only in that way can we find progress" says Richard Feynman
Three Cognitive Styles
Three Cognitive Styles
People tend to rely on three cognitive styles that are essential for evaluating, and conspiracy theories result from a lack of one or more of these three cognitive styles (source).
People tend to rely on three cognitive styles that are essential for evaluating, and conspiracy theories result from a lack of one or more of these three cognitive styles (source).
Analytic thinking
Analytic thinking
This involves breaking complex tasks down into manageable parts to reach a working solution.
Think of computational thinking or George Polya’s approach.
This involves breaking complex tasks down into manageable parts to reach a working solution.
Think of computational thinking or George Polya’s approach.
Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking
A mode of thinking that involves raising questions and problems, gathering relevant data, interpreting that information to reach a well-reasoned conclusion and solution, then testing that solution in an iterative process. You might enjoy TCEA’s blog entry on Design Thinking or Engineering Design Process.
A mode of thinking that involves raising questions and problems, gathering relevant data, interpreting that information to reach a well-reasoned conclusion and solution, then testing that solution in an iterative process. You might enjoy TCEA’s blog entry on Design Thinking or Engineering Design Process.
Scientific Reasoning
Scientific Reasoning
This involves observing something, developing an explanation of what is happening, and creating an experiment to test your explanation.
This involves observing something, developing an explanation of what is happening, and creating an experiment to test your explanation.
Quote to Ponder
Quote to Ponder
“You have to disentangle the details. You have to hold up every one independently, and ask, “How do we know this detail?” Where are all these details coming from? Where did that specific detail come from?”
“You have to disentangle the details. You have to hold up every one independently, and ask, “How do we know this detail?” Where are all these details coming from? Where did that specific detail come from?”
― Eliezer Yudkowsky as cited in “Life is Simple: How Occam’s Razor Set Science Free and Shapes the Universe”
Where the Details Come From
Where the Details Come From
In education, how do we find science-based conclusions that are based on research and evidence? Let's take a few moments to review some key ideas and see.
In education, how do we find science-based conclusions that are based on research and evidence? Let's take a few moments to review some key ideas and see.
Special thanks to Leah Brown for sharing the infographic, Finding and Evaluating Online Information Sources.
Source: News Literacy Project
Problems with Doing Your Own Research
Problems with Doing Your Own Research
- That's not what research is.
Research is a systematic process of investigation. Evidence is collected and evaluated in an unbiased manner. Those methods have to be available to other scientists for replication.
Research is a systematic process of investigation. Evidence is collected and evaluated in an unbiased manner. Those methods have to be available to other scientists for replication.
- Science is a process.
It is an attempt to understand reality, and recognize how biased and flawed the human brain is. Real research is about trying to prove yourself wrong, NOT right.
It is an attempt to understand reality, and recognize how biased and flawed the human brain is. Real research is about trying to prove yourself wrong, NOT right.
- You're not as smart as you think you are.
Consider the Dunning-Krueger Effect...when those who are least competent at a task overestimate their abilities. If you're incompetent, you can't recognize how incompetent you are. (Source: Melanie Trecek-King)
Consider the Dunning-Krueger Effect...when those who are least competent at a task overestimate their abilities. If you're incompetent, you can't recognize how incompetent you are. (Source: Melanie Trecek-King)
How To Teach Critical Thinking
How To Teach Critical Thinking
“Why don’t kids know critical thinking or scientific reasoning?" asks Professor of Biology, Melanie Trecek-King. She encourages teachers and students to engage in scientific skepticism:
“Why don’t kids know critical thinking or scientific reasoning?" asks Professor of Biology, Melanie Trecek-King. She encourages teachers and students to engage in scientific skepticism:
- Insist on evidence before accepting a claim.
- Then, match the strength of our belief to the strength and quality of the evidence.
- She describes matching the strength of your belief to evidence quality as “proportioning.”
How To Fact Check
How To Fact Check
Be skeptical. Stop and ask if it is true. Do this especially if it confirms existing biases or triggers strong emotions (e.g. anger or fear).
Check TYPE of content. What's its purpose? Is it advertisement? Satire? Opinion?
Look laterally. What do others say? Search source, claims, check accuracy and bias with other independent, trustworthy sites.
Look for RED flags. Any signs of low quality? Is there name-calling, inflammatory language, mis-spellings, grammatical errors, etc.?
Dealing with Disinformation
Dealing with Disinformation
Wendy Cook suggests this simple formula for what to do when the need for debunking arrives:
Wendy Cook suggests this simple formula for what to do when the need for debunking arrives:
- Fact. Lead with clear facts that are easy to remember (“sticky”).
- Myth. Share what was false.
- Fallacy. Explain what was false is wrong, and how it differs from facts.
- Fact. Share the facts again in a clear, easy-to-remember approach.
Teaching Critical Thinking: Resources For You
Teaching Critical Thinking: Resources For You
Fill out an email form to get these Critical Thinking Cards, Fallacies and Biases wall posters, and more, from School of Thought. Shared under Creative Commons.
Civic Online Reasoning has free lessons and videos.
Books
Books
These are fantastic books to explore. I found Otis' book quite readable, and Ahn's book full of fantastic examples and thought experiments. You may also find Weisberg and Sobel's book quite usable, especially since it is available for free download as a PDF. Click the book covers to get the books or find out where to buy them.
These are fantastic books to explore. I found Otis' book quite readable, and Ahn's book full of fantastic examples and thought experiments. You may also find Weisberg and Sobel's book quite usable, especially since it is available for free download as a PDF. Click the book covers to get the books or find out where to buy them.
Google Sites
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