OTHER Countries Are Doing It

"So if we can’t regulate the 'news' or even stop trolls and foreign operatives from inciting Americans, how can we activate the 'immune system' of democracy?"

For as long as I have been out of college I have been actively promoting critical /science-based thinking. I look around me in the USA and it seems that NO organization is doing anything to improve the dismal display of magical thinking and ignorance. Click on the link below for a brief video presenting what OTHER countries are doing to improve the situation:

How Does America Solve Its "Fake News" Crisis?

Flat Earthers: The Extreme Of Magical Thinkers

"In this video, I explain what flat earthers believe, why they believe it, and why I think scientists should take flat earthers more seriously." 

Yes, almost everyone finds believers in a flat Earth to be uneducated and resistant to evidence in the extreme. However, understanding how they think gives insight into how ALL magical thinkers think and, thus, clues on how to de-convert all of them. 

Click on the link below for a 16-min video on the topic:

Flat Earth "Science" -- Wrong, but not Stupid

Medicine For The Brain

If you are exposed to any media, you are deluged with alternatives to medicine pseudoscience, including brain health supplements such as Prevagen. Regarding the brain, the best things you can do for its health are simple and inexpensive. Neurosurgeon Sanjay Gupta, MD, has some advice in a new book, "Keep Sharp." The book is supported by the fact that we now know that the brain is able to grow new cells throughout life. The big revelation to me was the following:

• "I think that crossword puzzles and brain training exercises can be quite helpful at making the roads in your brain that you use a lot already, keeping them strong. ... It's kind of the "practice makes perfect" part of your brain. And some of the brain games can actually increase your processing speed, the speed at which you process new content and new information. But I really do draw a line between that and keeping a brain sharper and building cognitive reserve throughout your life. That's different. You want to be doing different things in order to build that reserve, as opposed to doing the same thing better and better. There's a role for both, but if it's cognitive reserve you're looking for, doing different things — things that *get you outside your comfort zone* — it's probably going to have a much bigger payoff."

Click here for an NPR interview with Dr. Gupta.

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*to include learning why others have different opinions than you?*

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UPDATE: 2/24/2021

Below are more links on this topic:

Brain Boosting Supplements May Contain Unapproved Drugs

Focus Factor Fiction?

FDA curbs unfounded memory supplement claims

Magical Vs Scientific Thinking (Summary)

Magical Thinking

• Resistant to objective evidence
• Primarily uses amygdala (first part of brain to develop) for basic survival/instinct/intuitive thinking
• Easy
• Accepting claims without adequate evidence (gullible)
• Difficulty changing opinions; closed-minded
• Not verifiable
• Sees meaning and connection in coincidences
• Sees patterns when the phenomena are random
• Uses logic to support claims when at least one premise is false
• Emphasizes personal experience and common sense
• Used by: the religious; alternatives to medicine promoters and users; conspiracy theorists; any other pseudoscience (false science) acceptor
• Usually conservative politically (nostalgic for the past; tribal; focused on individual rights; cynical of "the other"; cynical of government; comfortable with authoritarian rule) 

Scientific Thinking

• Accepts objective evidence
• Primarily uses the frontal cortex (last part of brain to develop) for critical thinking
• Hard
• Accepting claims only with adequate objective evidence (skeptical)
• Able to change opinions when warranted; open-minded
• Verifiable through observation and experimentation
• Accepts coincidences as part of the randomness of life only
• Recognizes the difference between true patterns and randomness
• Recognizes invalid and/or unsound arguments 
• Recognizes that our brains have flaws and can fool us with biases
• Usually progressive politically (looking forward; focused on human rights for all; global/big picture view; regulated capitalism/representative democracy; rejects authoritarian rule)

MORE: (link)(link)

Ten Potentially Catastrophic Threats To Human Survival

"The risks emerging now are varied, global and complex. Each one poses a 'significant' risk to human civilisation, a "catastrophic risk", or could actually extinguish the human species and is therefore an 'existential risk'.The risks are interconnected. They originate from the same basic causes and must be solved in ways that make no individual threat worse.

"This means many existing systems we take for granted, including our economic, food, energy, production and waste, community life and governance systems – along with our relationship with Earth's natural systems – must undergo searching examination and reform."

Will COVID-19 be a wake-up call to abandon magical thinking and universally adopt science-based thinking? Consider that 

• "more than 99 percent of all species, amounting to over five billion species,^[1] that ever lived on Earth are estimated to have died out^[2][3][4] (link)"

Click on the link below:

10 Catastrophic Threats Are Facing Humans Right Now, And Coronavirus Is Only One of Them

Good Research Is Hard To Find

My summary of science-based thinking is: question claims; demand objective evidence; think critically (in that order). Unfortunately, even scientists frequently misuse the scientific method. The link below presents the details involved with scientific research and how it can be in error either through mistake or conscious fraud:

Pitfalls in Research: Why Studies Are More Often Wrong than Right

Another Serious Pandemic

Presently the world is experiencing one of its periodic viral pandemics. While all of them are serious health crises, there is arguably a greater pandemic that has permeated humanity essentially since its beginning: magical thinking. While there was an excuse for such superstitious and dogmatic thinking prior to science and its methods, presently there is no reason for it to be so ubiquitous. Especially with the internet, there is ready access to information falsifying all religions, alternatives to medicine, and other pseudosciences. Oh, if you think, "What's the harm?", the links below are for you:

• Harm from religion

• Harm from alternatives to medicine

• Harm from other pseudoscience

The antidote for this pandemic is science-based thinking!

Alternative Medicine Claims Debunked

"Alternative medicine proponents argue for their viewpoints in similar ways to religious apologists. Their arguments are just as ill-informed and irrational as any religious fundamentalist’s. So, debunking them takes little more than basic critical thinking skills and a little understanding of how drugs are researched and regulated. Naturopathy is pseudoscience, essential oils don’t work, homeopathy is a scam, the supplement industry is bogus, and the terrible arguments their proponents present are definitely no help."

7 Common Arguments for Alternative Medicine Debunked

Most Atheists ARE Open-Minded

Most atheists are skeptical/science-based thinkers, thus, they will change their minds but ONLY with sufficient evidence.

Is Atheism Open-Minded?

The Theist Guide To Converting Atheists

The Beginning Of The Road To Atheism Is Questioning

Street Epistemology is a novel way of encouraging the public to think about their belief system and to question anything they doubt. In a way, it is Critical Thinking 101 in a non-academic environment. From their web page:

While there are a variety of definitions for Street Epistemology (SE), here are a few that seem appropriate:

1. Street Epistemology is the application of epistemology (the study of knowledge) outside of formal academic contexts.

1. Street Epistemology is a fun and effective way to talk to people about what's really true.

1. Street Epistemology is a conversational tool that helps people reflect on the reliability of the methods used to arrive at their deeply-held beliefs.

1. Street Epistemology is the process of identifying, understanding, and challenging belief claims by asking questions.

Street Epistemology is dialectically-based, grounded in the Socratic method, and enhanced by recent evidence-based advances from a wide spectrum of disciplines, such as motivational interviewing, applied philosophy, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Here is some wisdom in applying it.

This is a good example of the process in action. Be sure to read Anthony's thoughts in the narrative post-interview, as well as the comments :

Street Epistemology: Delia | Catholic Questions Atheism (Rock of Comfort)

Agnosticism

The stark difference between magical/faith-based thinkers and science-based thinkers:

Magical/faith-based thinkers:

"I am certain that the answer to all of the mysteries of the universe is God did it."

Science-based thinkers:

"We don't know enough about those questions to even ask them, let alone answer them."

The essence of agnosticism

(it is about knowledge, theism or atheism are about belief. These are different categories)

Obfuscation Exposed

Obfuscate: to be evasive, unclear, or confusing (link)

I was invited on Catholic apologist Trent Horn's podcast recently to follow up on an email I sent to him challenging his reliance on philosophy in support of his Catholic faith and to clarify the obligation that atheists have regarding truth claims. 

Trent focused on defending his use of philosophy by interrupting me frequently with non-pertinent questions. When I attempted to present the value of science he cut me short without essentially addressing what points I was able to make. He stated that we must think "really hard." If this failure to listen "really hard" to another point of view is any indication, he has a long way to go to an open, inquisitive mind.

Here is the podcast (link). What do you think? I think it was a typical apologetic obfuscation.

(Here is the link I mentioned in the podcast.)

The Problem Goes Deep From US History

"But Starbucks isn’t the point.

"To pretend it is is a comforting fiction. It allows the company to apologize, vow to do better and move on. It allows protesters to feel righteous at having proven they will not tolerate intolerance.

"Meantime, we know as a statistical matter of fact that somewhere, a little boy was just suspended from school for a minor infraction because he is black.

"A desperately ill woman was just denied sufficient medication to ease her pain because she is black.

"A highly qualified applicant was just passed over for the job of her dreams because she is black.

"And sometime soon, another unarmed man will be shot by police because he is black"

Starbucks isn’t the problem, America is

(LabourMan Consultants)

Politicization Of Science

It is very clear.  While some Democrats do have unscientific views, the overwhelming evidence shows that the Republicans are much worse on accepting scientific findings.

Given the above, how about working for more science-based thinking among Republicans?

The Growing Economic Inequality in the USA

It is always best to understand a problem through the best evidence available.  Contrary to the Republican lies, this is a major problem and, somehow, it has to be resolved or the USA is doomed.

In stark graph form

Increased debt and inequality has lead to financial crises

If You Think Science-Based Thinking Can't Be Taught, You Are Wrong

Recently, I have been, once again, exposed to the myth that science-based thinking can't be taught.  What my interlocutor is saying is true, IF, he really means that it is NOT being taught.  The following links show that it CAN be taught and WILL be taught IF society has the will to do so.

https://www.aacu.org/peerreview/2016/Fall/Stanford

https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/periodicals/Rosenshine.pdf

http://www.sciencemag.org/features/2015/09/effective-teaching-be-effective-educator-get-active

https://www.nap.edu/read/4962/chapter/5

https://uncw.edu/jet/articles/Vol13_2/Kraus.pdf

Science-Based Thinking Is Not That Difficult

Some folks who are very intelligent and knowledgeable do not get this basic way of looking at reality.  Then again, some young children have no problem with it:

Neil deGrasse Tyson Applied Science to the Tooth Fairy

Yes, this is how adults should behave.