The hottest Critical Thinking Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Education Topics

The Essence of Attentive Reading: Insights from Marcus Aurelius

Wayne's Earth • 0 implied HN points • 17 Oct 23
📚 Literature Reading Philosophy Critical Thinking Ethics
  1. True understanding comes from delving deep into a subject, not merely skimming its surface. Absorb material attentively to grasp nuances and reflect on implications.
  2. Attentive reading fosters critical thinking by encouraging questioning, analysis, and evaluation of information. This helps discern truth from falsehood and enriches understanding.
  3. Beware of smooth talkers and seek diverse perspectives to avoid being swayed by charisma. Differentiate between eloquence and truth, question motives, and broaden understanding with multiple sources.

Book Review: "Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know" by Adam Grant 4/5

Poczwardowski Notes • 0 implied HN points • 09 Oct 21
🚌 Education Critical Thinking Personal Development Research
  1. Rethinking what we've learned is a valuable skill, starting with ourselves and extending to influencing others and fostering collective rethinking within organizations.
  2. Changing our minds goes beyond trivial debates, impacting our careers and even saving lives. The book blends research with engaging stories and humor.
  3. It's okay to change your perspective; it shows growth and learning. Embrace moments of being wrong as opportunities for progress.

How to Win an Argument

startupdreams • 0 implied HN points • 09 Mar 24
🚌 Education Critical Thinking Personal Growth Learning
  1. Understand both sides of an argument, know the points and counterpoints, and be able to effectively refute them with facts.
  2. Avoid getting emotionally involved in debates - present your points calmly and with a wealth of knowledge and preparation.
  3. Winning an argument involves presenting strong, rational arguments, staying calm while the other person gets upset or resorts to personal attacks, and recognizing signs that you've successfully made your case.

New offerings

imperfect offerings • 0 implied HN points • 22 Apr 23
🚌 Education AI Surveillance Critical Thinking
  1. Helen Beetham is developing various pieces like 'The platform university', AI illusions, and pedagogies of anti-surveillance.
  2. The content in development includes chapters on critical thinking in the digital university, post-digitality, and more.
  3. Helen Beetham's future work will cover topics such as learning design, learning spaces, and other relevant mainstream pieces.

Tropes and evidence

The End(s) of Argument • 0 implied HN points • 03 Jul 23
🚌 Education Research Evidence Interpretation Critical Thinking Verification
  1. Tropes are narrative devices used in storytelling, which help people quickly interpret events based on surface similarities to past experiences.
  2. Tropes can sometimes lead to misinterpretations of evidence, influencing how people categorize information.
  3. Tropes serve as powerful interpretative shortcuts, but they can cause individuals to see connections or meanings that may not actually be present.
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Let's talk about open claims, endless argument, and how social media works.

The End(s) of Argument • 0 implied HN points • 03 Jun 23
🚌 Education Critical Thinking Information literacy Misinformation Argumentation Social media
  1. Claims in discussions are not just statements; they play a focal role in an argument by trying to change attitudes.
  2. On social media, many posts share evidence that supports larger unstated claims, making it vital to understand the context of the information being shared.
  3. Misinformation often thrives when evidence is real but misused to back a claim it does not support, highlighting the importance of critically evaluating information and its context.

The unluckiest lucky people

The End(s) of Argument • 0 implied HN points • 18 May 21
🚌 Education Critical Thinking Misinformation Fact-checking Media Literacy
  1. The story of 'Lucky Anna' challenges the idea of luck and encourages critical thinking about information shared.
  2. Teaching methods can benefit from being relatable, even if it means being a bit playful or making dad jokes.
  3. It is important to fact-check and verify information before drawing conclusions or believing in stories shared.

Stranger than fiction

The End(s) of Argument • 0 implied HN points • 13 May 21
🚌 Education Fact-checking Critical Thinking
  1. When teaching web literacy, it's essential to highlight odd but true information that may seem false at first glance.
  2. To verify information online, checking the authenticity of the source, like official verification marks, and looking for consistent coverage from reliable news sources are crucial steps.
  3. It's not about proving something is true but about confirming if what you're seeing aligns with your assumptions and reactions, emphasizing the importance of verifying sources and information.

Book Review: Refashioning Futures

Symbolic Capital(ism) • 0 implied HN points • 03 Dec 19
🚌 Education Critical Thinking Diversity Engagement
  1. Critique in modern democracies focuses on attacking opponents' social status and motives, revealing unconscious biases, but has now become a common tool for all groups.
  2. Academic critique has been criticized for losing steam and being turned into a weapon to debunk opposing views, leading to an era of post-truth.
  3. Critique needs to evolve from pure criticism to constructing alternatives, engaging with diversity of viewpoints, and understanding questions within their context for better strategic outcomes.

How to solve Engineering Manager Case Study Interview

Better Engineers • 0 implied HN points • 14 Jul 24
🚌 Education Career growth Interview Tips Critical Thinking Problem Solving Resource Management
  1. To tackle a case study in an engineering manager interview, first understand the problem clearly. Read the case multiple times to catch all the details.
  2. Break down the main problem into smaller parts so it's easier to manage. Think about the perspectives of different people involved to find the best solutions.
  3. After solving each smaller problem, combine all the solutions into one plan. Then, be ready to present your findings clearly using visuals to help explain your points.

Loosing focus in decision-making

do clouds feel vertigo? • 0 implied HN points • 19 Feb 24
📖 Philosophy Decision-making Cognitive Science Critical Thinking Mindfulness Productivity
  1. Focusing on too many tasks at once can lead to a lack of quality decisions. It's important to realize that deep focus is rare and valuable.
  2. Not all decisions are equally important. Some choices can be made quickly and changed later, while others require careful thought before proceeding.
  3. Using curated lists can help simplify decision-making. They reduce complexity and make it easier to choose among options without feeling overwhelmed.

What the Japanese Toilet Taught Me About Human Nature

David Reis on Software • 0 implied HN points • 19 Oct 24
📖 Philosophy Human nature Decision-making Technology impact Critical Thinking
  1. People often follow the crowd instead of thinking for themselves. It's easier to just do what everyone else does, even if there's a better option available.
  2. Life is complicated, and we tend to rely on others to guide our choices. Like how we trust that if everyone is eating berries, they must be safe.
  3. We should take the time to think carefully about our choices instead of rushing to conclusions. Slow, thoughtful decisions can lead to better outcomes.

Be aware: Linear Thinking

Marcio Klepacz • 0 implied HN points • 21 Jun 24
📖 Philosophy Decision-making Cognitive Biases Human behavior Critical Thinking Mental models
  1. Linear thinking is when people keep using the same solution, hoping for better results, but that often doesn't work. It can even lead to worse outcomes when pushed too far.
  2. Just because you put in more effort doesn't guarantee you will get more results. Sometimes, it's about working smarter, not harder.
  3. Be mindful of the limits of things that seem positive, as pushing them too far can lead to unexpected negative results. Always consider possible consequences before acting.

Statistical Concepts Useful in Life

Kartick’s Blog • 0 implied HN points • 21 Jan 25
🚌 Education Statistics Learning Data Analysis Critical Thinking Life Skills
  1. Variance helps us understand risk in different jobs. A steady job is low risk, while a startup can be very unpredictable.
  2. The median is a strong way to find a typical value because it's not easily affected by extreme numbers. So, when data is messy, the median usually gives a better answer than the mean.
  3. To get better estimates, look at a lot of data over time. More data usually means less error, helping you make smarter decisions.

🐿️ The Underground Grammarian - The IPT Newsletter

Squirrel Squadron Substack • 0 implied HN points • 21 Jan 25
🚌 Education Language Writing Communication Critical Thinking Leadership
  1. Clarity in language leads to better understanding. When people use simple and clear words, everyone can see what's really going on.
  2. Avoiding the passive voice helps identify who is responsible. If we don't name who is responsible for actions, it can create confusion and misunderstandings.
  3. Being direct and open in conversations can bring out more ideas and honest discussions. When people feel free to speak openly, it leads to better problem-solving.