“#SocialMedia has turned so many into public relations professionals who pursue likeability instead of #truth. That’s why people speak along pre-vetted party lines and silence their edgy ideas. First to others, later to themselves. When anything you say online can be instantly accessed with a Google search, the costs of independent thinking aren’t worth the benefits to most people.”
The hidden risk of letting AI decide – losing the skills to choose for ourselves
"Making thoughtful and defensible decisions requires practice and self-discipline. And this is where the hidden harm that AI exposes people to comes in: AI does most of its “thinking” behind the scenes and presents users with answers that are stripped of context and deliberation."
Sharpen critical thinking skills and power your brain—for life.
Master Your Mind will get your brain in shape by helping you cultivate the principles of critical thinking through perplexing puzzles, engaging exercises based on real-world scenarios, interesting case studies, and practical strategies.
"Prior research suggests several predictors of susceptibility to conspiracy theories, including narcissistic personality traits (grandiosity, need for uniqueness), cognitive processes (critical thinking, confirmation bias) and lack of education. The aim of the current paper was to explore how facets of narcissism predict susceptibility to conspiracy theories."
Every time I come across a good resource on topics like critical thinking, media and science literacy, misinformation, analytic techniques, etc. I'll add them to this pinned list
First up: I randomly first came across this free course/reference from the University of Hong Kong well over a decade ago and have retaken it several times since and I can honestly say it has changed my life. Don't let the abstract stuff fool you. You'll be surprised how useful it can be:
Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know
The bestselling author of Give and Take and Originals examines the critical art of rethinking: learning to question your opinions and open other people's minds, which can position you for excellence at work and wisdom in life.
That fun @actuallyautistic moment where you get back together with an old special interest that you couldn't get properly stuck in with as a kid because you didn't have time, money, or a proper workspace for the tools you don't have. But now, as an #autistic adult, you also don't have the time, money, or proper workspace either.
It's like getting back together with an ex, even though you know things still aren't going to work out.
It seems like Mastodon is losing its mindshare to #Bluesky among many academics.
I can't help but think this has to do with the self-imposed limitations of Mastodon — lack of quotes, ordered timeline, etc. Makes it less interesting to use, for no real advantage.
Sad, because the underlying decentralization is much more robust.
⭐ What I have said is that some people absolutely do not want them. And I said I think we should request for their consent before forcing them to use them.
🎓 Don't believe everything you read.
🎮 On a related topic: later this month the NGO I work with is publishing the first of a series of free video games that teach and encourage the use of critical thinking.
@MoiraEve and if I could piggyback, another great book of like intention is The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark, by Carl Sagan and co-authored by Ann Druyan
I'm increasingly convinced that the sheer mass of casual, informal writing that undergrads have done on a daily basis until they get to college has undermined their ability both to think critically about what others have written and to write with rigor themselves. Basic logic seems more and more a missing skill, and falacious reasoning increasingly fills the void. Please, someone convince me we're not on our way to the future as portrayed in "Idiocracy." :-( #AcademicChatter @academicchatter
We hope to publish our first critical thinking video game for students in October. As with our other games it will be free, contain no ads, and respect your privacy.
⭐ "Investing in education and the development of critical thinking is more important than ever, as it will help to limit the risks of disinformation posed by the advent of technologies such as the internet and artificial intelligence."
I'm #autistic. The sound of the train blowing its horn as it passes my house makes me cover my ears in pain. But the throbbing bass of the engine that causes a deep pressure in my chest from the vibration makes me feel happy.
When I was a kid, I used to crank up the bass of my parents' stereo and sit directly against the woofer to feel that pressure. They would always yell at me to turn it down. I've always loved that feeling.