The hottest Critical Thinking Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Education Topics

Eschew Obfuscation

Sunday Letters β€’ 79 implied HN points β€’ 09 Jul 23
🚌 Education Critical Thinking
  1. Using complicated terms can create barriers in conversations and make others feel excluded. It's important to communicate in a way that everyone can understand.
  2. If you can't explain something simply, it might mean you don't fully understand it yourself. Writing things out can help clarify your thoughts.
  3. Taking time to explain clearly is more valuable than using jargon. It's better to focus on clear communication than to impress others with 'smart' language.

My Humanities Journey

Humanities in Revolt β€’ 79 implied HN points β€’ 18 Mar 23
🚌 Education Critical Thinking
  1. The dominant schooling system has been criticized by various great thinkers for failing to nurture critical thinking, creativity, and democratic values, highlighting the importance of reevaluating traditional education methods.
  2. Mark Twain and Jack London, despite being school dropouts, emphasized the distinction between 'schooling' and 'education,' emphasizing the role of life experiences and concentrated study in their intellectual development.
  3. Formal education is not the only path to learning, as illustrated by Dr. Nall's journey from a high school dropout to earning a doctorate, highlighting the value of informal learning, exploration, and deep critical thinking in one's educational journey.

Two Master Fallacies

Fake NoΓ»s β€’ 306 implied HN points β€’ 16 Sep 23
🚌 Education Critical Thinking
  1. Assumption is a common error where people quickly believe something with little evidence.
  2. Dogmatism is the resistance to changing beliefs, even in the face of evidence.
  3. To avoid assumption, consider alternatives, objections, empirical tests, and listen to different perspectives. To combat dogmatism, question your beliefs and avoid dogmatic techniques like ignoring contrary evidence and appealing only to your belief system.

Imago DEI at Cornell University

Heterodox STEM β€’ 199 implied HN points β€’ 17 Mar 24
🚌 Education Critical Thinking
  1. The theme year for Freedom of Expression at Cornell University is controversial, focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
  2. There is a concern about the prioritization of DEI over free speech, leading to a culture of fear and conformity on campus.
  3. Efforts are being made to bring in speakers who promote fearless, rational, and civil speech on campus, to counteract the perceived lack of free expression.
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One Year of Humanities in Revolt

Humanities in Revolt β€’ 139 implied HN points β€’ 16 Sep 22
🚌 Education Critical Thinking
  1. Humanities are not just for colleges and universities; they have value in everyday life and should be shared with a wider audience.
  2. Engaging with humanities involves critical evaluation and thoughtful contemplation, not just passive consumption.
  3. The humanities encourage independent thinking, dialogue, and self-examination, tackling existential questions and challenging ideas with respect and humility.

We Need to Do Better than Hum 1 & Soc Sci 2 in General Education

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality β€’ 215 implied HN points β€’ 05 Feb 24
🚌 Education Critical Thinking
  1. The purpose of humanities in education should be more than teaching a limited view of Western literature and thought.
  2. It is valuable to provide students with a broad liberal education that includes exposure to different perspectives, even critical ones.
  3. American universities should focus on teaching true facts and how to think critically rather than implanting specific values.

Criticize by Creating

Polymathic Being β€’ 66 implied HN points β€’ 09 Feb 25
🚌 Education Critical Thinking
  1. Instead of criticizing ideas, try to build on them. Use 'Yes, and...' instead of 'Yes, but...' to create a more positive and innovative environment.
  2. Critiquing should focus on improving ideas, not tearing them down. A true critic aims to develop ideas into something better.
  3. Collaboration and combining ideas lead to greater innovation. Working together allows us to see new possibilities that we might miss when thinking alone.

Discussion: The AI Era Liberal Arts

Data People Etc. β€’ 71 implied HN points β€’ 13 Jan 25
🚌 Education Critical Thinking
  1. We might need a new set of subjects for students today. The old tools aren't enough for the modern world that we live in.
  2. The seven liberal arts today should focus on skills like logic, statistics, and understanding psychology. These help us make sense of our world and make better decisions.
  3. It's more important to prepare kids to be adaptable and motivated than to worry about specific job skills. Being able to learn and think critically is key for the future.

Get basic context first and the right questions will come to you

The End(s) of Argument β€’ 59 implied HN points β€’ 13 Apr 23
🚌 Education Critical Thinking
  1. When faced with new information, it's better to first get basic context before diving into asking questions.
  2. Actively engaging with context and information before thinking about questions can help in understanding what truly matters.
  3. The SIFT approach emphasizes the importance of doing some initial research and noticing key details before formulating questions.

AI Literacy For Educators

Teaching computers how to talk β€’ 83 implied HN points β€’ 08 Nov 24
🚌 Education Critical Thinking
  1. AI is already part of classrooms, and ignoring or fighting it will not benefit students. Teachers need to adapt to these changes instead.
  2. Critical thinking will be the most important skill for students in the future, as traditional education methods won't be enough anymore.
  3. A free handbook on AI literacy for educators is available to help them understand and teach about AI effectively, making sure they are prepared for its influence.

The Hagakure #88: Your Org Chart Isn’t Ready for AI

The Hagakure β€’ 26 implied HN points β€’ 17 Jun 25
πŸ’Ό Business Critical Thinking
  1. Traditional team structures need to adapt for AI projects. Everyone should work together from the start, rather than following a strict order of tasks.
  2. Engineers play a vital role in shaping AI products. Their early input helps to avoid misunderstandings and creates better outcomes.
  3. Building critical thinking into the team is important. Everyone should be involved in discussions about what and why things are being built, to help the team adapt and move quickly.

The problem with "educate yourself"

The Ruffian β€’ 227 implied HN points β€’ 06 Sep 23
🚌 Education Critical Thinking
  1. Educating yourself involves thinking more clearly, not just accepting a prescribed viewpoint.
  2. The phrase 'educate yourself' has become widespread, often used in a polarizing manner.
  3. The command to 'educate yourself' can have negative implications and may not always be constructive.

The Courage to Disagree in Academia

Journal of Free Black Thought β€’ 53 implied HN points β€’ 17 Jan 25
🚌 Education Critical Thinking
  1. Colleges should help students learn how to disagree and think critically. When students ask tough questions about what they're taught, it shows they're engaged and curious.
  2. It's important for schools to protect teachers' rights to express different opinions. This allows them to challenge the usual ideas and helps students hear various viewpoints.
  3. We should encourage open discussions on controversial topics. It helps students understand different perspectives and prepares them to think more broadly about important issues.

The staging of Woke Cancer

Heterodox STEM β€’ 206 implied HN points β€’ 24 Sep 23
🚌 Education Critical Thinking
  1. Woke cancer mirrors the progression of physical cancer stages.
  2. Woke cancer spreads through academia by infiltrating departments and administration.
  3. Different treatment options are discussed, from non-invasive methods to aggressive measures like cutting DEI programs.

Propositional Attitudes and Flying Saucers

The End(s) of Argument β€’ 39 implied HN points β€’ 27 Jul 23
🚌 Education Critical Thinking
  1. It's important to teach that there is a distinction between a claim and a position on that claim, to avoid confusion and misunderstandings.
  2. When evaluating the likelihood of a claim, it's essential to consider it in relation to other explanations rather than in isolation.
  3. Defending a claim involves defending the most reasonable position on that claim, considering all possible explanations in a broader context.

Notes on Puzzles

Nabeel S. Qureshi β€’ 222 HN points β€’ 11 Jul 23
🚌 Education Critical Thinking
  1. Skilled chess players spend more time falsifying their ideas than amateurs do.
  2. In real life, trying to falsify your ideas can help with decision-making, but there are scenarios that require you to 'try it and see'.
  3. Having the conviction that there is an answer can drive problem-solving, but real-life problems can be more complex and uncertain.

Finding the third way

The Uncertainty Mindset (soon to become tbd) β€’ 59 implied HN points β€’ 31 May 23
πŸ“– Philosophy Critical Thinking
  1. There are two common reactions to uncertainty: one is to act like everything is knowable and try to control it, which can lead to poor decisions. The other is to give up and think that nothing can be done about the unknown, which doesn't help either.
  2. Instead of sticking to those two extremes, there's a better approach. It's important to recognize that not-knowing can lead to new ideas and actions.
  3. We can break down uncertainties into different types. Understanding these helps us figure out how to deal with situations where we don't have all the answers.

"Worthless Degrees" and the Hidden Hand of Values

Humanities in Revolt β€’ 119 implied HN points β€’ 18 Feb 22
πŸ“– Philosophy Critical Thinking
  1. Critics of humanities and liberal arts often overlook the vital necessity of these fields in shaping critical thinking skills and cultural knowledge, which contribute to individual flourishing and democratic society.
  2. Human values play a significant role in shaping our lives, influencing our beliefs, decisions, and societal norms.
  3. Factual claims are rooted in sensory perceptions, while value-based statements determine what is important or significant to us, showcasing the essential interplay between facts and values in human understanding.

Take my Infinity final exam!

Infinitely More β€’ 35 implied HN points β€’ 21 Dec 24
🚌 Education Critical Thinking
  1. The Cantor-Hume principle connects with Euclid's principle, and there are different views on whether they agree or conflict. It's a topic worth exploring in depth.
  2. Understanding potential and actual infinity is important in calculus, especially when dealing with infinite series. This distinction affects how we solve mathematical problems.
  3. The continuum hypothesis and the axiom of choice raise interesting questions in philosophy and mathematics, showing how these concepts challenge our understanding of infinity and choice.

Student assignments in a time of language modelling

imperfect offerings β€’ 19 implied HN points β€’ 21 Apr 23
🚌 Education Critical Thinking
  1. Educators can design accountable writing assignments to help students develop critical thinking skills and focus on aspects of human writing that large language models struggle with.
  2. Encouraging students to write from different positions or points of view, reflecting on personal experiences, and engaging in writing as part of a community can enhance accountability and support the development of writing skills.
  3. Using language model tools critically involves questioning their accuracy, biases, and potential impacts, while utilizing them creatively should be balanced with considering the limitations and risks associated with these tools.

There’s a 110 Percent Chance That Our Discomfort With Statistics Is Costing Us

I Might Be Wrong β€’ 10 implied HN points β€’ 08 Jul 25
🚌 Education Critical Thinking
  1. Many people struggle to understand statistics and probability, which can lead to poor decision-making. For example, weather forecasts often misrepresent low probabilities to avoid backlash from confused audiences.
  2. Vague language used in warnings, like 'possible' or 'could', can create misunderstanding and result in people ignoring important alerts. It would be better to provide specific probabilities so that people can respond appropriately.
  3. Improving statistical education could help people make better choices and improve communication between authorities and the public. Clear numbers would be more useful than unclear descriptions.

Steelman

Polymathic Being β€’ 70 implied HN points β€’ 18 Feb 24
🚌 Education Critical Thinking
  1. Being a Steelman means strengthening your arguments and understanding others' perspectives.
  2. Steelman is the superhero antidote to Strawman, who misrepresents arguments.
  3. Steelman approach brings benefits like improved dialogue, deeper learning, and avoiding unnecessary conflicts.

Beyond the Grade: "Everything Happens for A Reason." But What Does that Mean?

Humanities in Revolt β€’ 59 implied HN points β€’ 25 May 22
πŸ“– Philosophy Critical Thinking
  1. Saying 'everything happens for a reason' can be vague and not add depth to discussions, as we are already aware of cause and effect.
  2. The phrase may imply larger forces at play, but without clarity on what these forces are, the statement remains ambiguous.
  3. The popularity of 'everything happens for a reason' may stem from our tendency to fill in unspecified reasons with personal beliefs, helping us cope with challenges.

Relinquishing control

Random Minds by Katherine Brodsky β€’ 84 implied HN points β€’ 10 Sep 23
πŸ“– Philosophy Critical Thinking
  1. Relinquishing control can lead to blind compliance, which has historically resulted in significant atrocities.
  2. Human nature inclines people to seek charismatic leaders, but it's important to maintain personal identity and critical thinking.
  3. To resist manipulation, individuals should develop critical thinking skills, recognize psychological manipulation tactics, and build independence.

Understanding the Gell-Mann Amnesia Effect: The Intersection of Knowledge, Media, and Belief

Wayne's Earth β€’ 7 HN points β€’ 26 Dec 23
🚌 Education Critical Thinking
  1. The Gell-Mann Amnesia effect points out how we tend to doubt news within our expertise but believe information outside of it, showing inconsistencies in our media perception.
  2. Cognitive biases like confirmation bias and the Dunning-Kruger effect play a role in why we selectively scrutinize information based on our expertise.
  3. In the digital age, the internet and social media have intensified the Gell-Mann Amnesia effect, making it crucial for individuals to cultivate critical thinking and media literacy to navigate the vast sea of information.

#9: Tradeoffs

The Uncertainty Mindset (soon to become tbd) β€’ 79 implied HN points β€’ 01 Jan 20
πŸ“– Philosophy Critical Thinking
  1. Life is full of tradeoffs. When you want something, like a stable job or a big house, you may have to give up other freedoms, like moving easily or having more free time.
  2. It’s important to clearly define what tradeoffs you are okay with. This helps you make better decisions, whether it’s about what to eat or where to live.
  3. Instead of just asking what you want, think about what you are willing to sacrifice. This question helps you understand your priorities and can lead to clearer choices.

Talk to Smart People (And Read)

Rounding the Earth Newsletter β€’ 8 implied HN points β€’ 21 Nov 24
🚌 Education Critical Thinking
  1. Engaging in discussions with knowledgeable people can enhance understanding and promote learning. It's beneficial to connect with those who are willing to explore and challenge ideas.
  2. Organized note-taking is a useful habit that aids in retaining and processing information over time. Visual aids like graphs can make complex ideas easier to understand.
  3. Taking the time to read and research independently is important for developing one’s own understanding. Personal exploration may lead to a deeper grasp of topics than simply consuming others' interpretations.

Waiting in Airports

Metarational β€’ 1 HN point β€’ 03 May 24
πŸ“– Philosophy Critical Thinking
  1. The quote 'If you've never missed a flight, you spend too long waiting in airports' highlights the concept of tradeoffs - arriving early to reduce flight missing probability but spending more time waiting at the airport.
  2. Thinking in terms of tradeoffs, where marginal benefit equals marginal cost, is a common concept, especially in economics, but can seem foreign to those unfamiliar with it.
  3. Intuitive reasoning works best when costs and benefits are easily felt and the numbers involved are tangible, as opposed to areas like healthcare public policy. In such cases, explicit cost-benefit analysis can save substantial amounts of money.

The Gell-Mann Amnesia Effect

The Corbett Report β€’ 19 implied HN points β€’ 10 Dec 23
πŸ“° News Critical Thinking
  1. Journalists often get basic facts wrong because they aren't experts in the subjects they cover.
  2. The Gell-Mann Amnesia Effect explains how we forget media errors right after reading them.
  3. To counteract media manipulation, we should remember that what we consume may be inaccurate and biased.

Abigail Thompson | The War on Science Interviews | Day 5

Critical Mass β€’ 2 implied HN points β€’ 27 Jul 25
πŸ”¬ Science Critical Thinking
  1. A series of 20 interviews with authors from 'The War on Science' will be released, starting on July 22nd. Each interview focuses on different issues affecting science today.
  2. The authors discuss serious problems like the corruption of academia, free speech issues, and how social justice activism can interfere with genuine research.
  3. These conversations aim to spark important discussions about restoring trust and quality in science and scholarship at universities.

Recent Notes...

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality β€’ 7 implied HN points β€’ 09 Nov 24
🚌 Education Critical Thinking
  1. C.P. Snow's The Two Cultures highlights the divide between the sciences and humanities. Learning more about both can make anyone smarter.
  2. John Ganz is an example of a hardworking person who could benefit from understanding the ideas in Snow's work.
  3. The goal of sharing this information is to help readers become smarter and enhance their understanding of important cultural concepts.