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Published May 5, 2022

662: Daniel J. Levitin | How to Think Critically in the Post-Truth Era

Cognitive psychologist Daniel J. Levitin reveals how to navigate the post-truth era by honing critical thinking skills, recognizing pseudo-expertise, and understanding the deceptive power of misleading data and media manipulation.
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  • Humility

    emphasizes the necessity of humility in critical thinking, warning against the dangers of overconfidence. He illustrates how even educated individuals can fall prey to misinformation, often due to their certainty in their own knowledge 1. Levitin shares a personal anecdote about a misattributed Mark Twain quote, highlighting how easy it is to be misled by what we think we know for sure 2.

    The most dangerous thing is somebody who is so sure they know something, but they're wrong.

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    This underscores the importance of being open-minded and willing to question our assumptions.

       

    Data Scrutiny

    In the realm of data interpretation, discusses the manipulation of statistics and visuals to mislead audiences. He explains how graphs can be designed to create false impressions by omitting labels or skewing scales, making it crucial to scrutinize such data critically 3. Levitin points out that even educated individuals can struggle with statistical thinking, especially when faced with real-time data interpretation 4.

    If the bar graph or the line graph has axes that aren't labeled, or if there are no numbers next to the tick marks, just ignore it.

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    This advice serves as a reminder to approach data with skepticism and demand clarity.

       

    Misconceptions

    addresses common misconceptions, particularly the confusion between correlation and causation. He uses humorous examples, like the correlation between Nicholas Cage movies and drownings, to illustrate how unrelated events can appear linked 5. Levitin also discusses techniques for critical thinking, emphasizing the importance of questioning data, charts, and expert opinions to make informed decisions 6.

    The world is so complicated and there's so many things going on that if you look hard enough, you'll find things that co-vary.

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    These insights highlight the need for vigilance in distinguishing between genuine connections and mere coincidences.

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