An intro to critical thinking, skepticism & quirkology
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This is a slightly modified version of the presentation that I did at BarCamp Canberra #3. During the actual presentation, I ran an exercise based upon psychologist Bertram R. Forer's experiments (also carried out by James Randi and other folks). Refer to http://www.skepdic.com/forer.html for the words I used in the presentation.Also please note that the term 'quirkology' was coined by Richard Wiseman (@RichardWiseman). He's written a book also titled Quirkology. The book is a nice easy read - go check it out (particularly if you can get the book with the 'smiles' cover).
Transcript of An intro to critical thinking, skepticism & quirkology
An intro to critical thinking,
skepticism & quirkology
By @RuthEllison
For BarCamp Canberra #3
On 6th February 2010
I’m Ruth
“I help make things easier to
use”
User experience designer
Loves gadgets
Chocolate appreciator
Skeptic-in-training
Work at Stamford Interactive
Loves robots
Live in Canberra
Let me tell you a story about shampoo...
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stirwise/527796228/
A few years back, I received a phone call from The Parents.
There’s this chemical Sodium lauryl
sulfate (SLS)...
This substance is found in most
shampoos...but the fact is that SLS
is used to scrub garage floors, and it
is very strong. It is also proven that it
can cause cancer in the long run.
Source: random emails from around the web
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/brainware3000/22205084/
So I did
I replaced it with a special “safe and
effective” product full of “wholesome,
gentle, health-enhancing
ingredients.”*
* Scam alert! Multi-level marketing alert!
A few months later and much
moolah...
I’ve been had!
The Facts
SLS is an irritant
Is not carcinogenic
Sources: http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/shampoo.asp; CIR publication. Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate. Journal of the American College of Toxicology. 1983 Vol. 2 (No. 7) pages 127-181.
QLD Environmental Health Unit: “SLS
may possibly cause death...if you
ingest approx 5-10kg of
toothpaste”(containing 1% of SLS)
Sources: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/ph/documents/ehu/3368.pdf
Source of image: http://www.colgate.com.au/Colgate/AU/OC/Products/Toothpastes/PDPContent/ColgateAdvancedWhitening/caw_r2_c1.jpg
A skeptic?
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/spamily/2181824324/
Skepticism
Isn’t a set of beliefs
It’s a method, not a position1
It’s about critical thinking
Applying methods of science
Respecting good evidence
1 http://www.skeptic.com/about_us/index.html
Some famous skeptics
Penn & Teller (who we got to meet in Vegas)
Richard DawkinsCarl Sagan
Image sources: http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/9612/sagan_uc.gif , http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/ni/0701-dawkins-jacket.jpg, http://www.flickr.com/photos/balerini/2532483450/, http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4ify7vDXrDs/SyrDgTuZbcI/AAAAAAAAE_8/3BLte-9MsGY/s320/James+Randi.jpeg, http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/07-09-12images/RWiseman.gif
James Randi Richard Wiseman
What sparked my interest?
Lots of interesting psychological quirks
Watch the video of Richard Wiseman’s
magic card trick (cool quirkology)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voA
ntzB7EwE
Expectations shape our
experience of the world
Mmm, nom nom nom.
What’s happening?
Part of being a
skeptic is
recognising and
compensating
for our biases
Some common cognitive biases
Loss aversion
Imagine that your country is preparing for an outbreak of a disease which is expected to kill 600 people.
Which vaccination schedule will you select?
Program A which will save 200
Program B which will save all 600 with probability 1/3
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loss_aversion
Imagine that your country is preparing for an outbreak of a disease which is expected to kill 600 people.
Which vaccination schedule will you select?
Program A: which will allow 400 people to die
Program B: no one dies (1/3 probability) or all 600 will die (2/3 probability)
Forer effect: the tendency to give high accuracy ratings to
descriptions of their personality that supposedly are tailored
specifically for them, but are in fact vague and general enough to
apply to a wide range of people source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases
Barnum effect: a type of subjective validation in which a
person finds personal meaning in statements that could apply to
many people source: http://skepdic.com/barnum.html
Avoid biases by critically
thinking about the issue
Consider totality of evidence
Ask questions, listen
carefully
Want to learn more?Listen: The Skeptics Guide to the Universe
Skeptoid
Read: Australian Skeptics - www.skeptics.com.auwww.skeptic.comwww.snopes.comWhatstheharm.netModern Skepticism http://www.slideshare.net/reedesau/modern-skepticism-bias-and-the-informed-consensus
www.criticalthinking.orgSkeptic’s Dictionary skepdic.com
Quirkology by Richard Wiseman
Attend: The Amazing Meeting (TAM) in Sydney http://www.skeptics.com.au/latest/announcements/australian-skeptics-announce-tamaustralia2010/
Watch: The People WatchersPenn & Teller’s Bullshit!
Here are additional readings
suggested by attendees of the
session• Richard Dawkins letter to his 10 year old daughter
(how to warn your child about this irrational world) http://www.rationalresponders.com/richard_dawkins_letter_to_his_10_year_old_daughter_how_to_warn_your_child_about_this_irr
ational_world
• Skeptical Sundays to be held shortly in Canberra,
organised by @lozz
• Skeptics in the Pub, held in Sydney on the first
Thursday every month check out www.skeptics.com.au
Ruth Ellison
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.ruthellison.com
@RuthEllison
Find this presentation at www.slideshare.net/ruthellison
Image sources: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vernhart/1574355646/ , http://randaclay.com/freebies/free-twitter-graphics/
