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Practical Intelligence:

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How to Think Critically,

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Deconstruct Situations,

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Analyze Deeply,

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and Never Be Fooled By Patrick King,  narrated by russell newton.

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Chapter 1.

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Look Beneath The Surface.

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Some of us are blessed with academic intelligence,

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otherwise known as pure book intelligence.

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This ability helps you in school,

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but it has limited applicability in the real world.

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It turns out there is just not that much use for memorizing equations and

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taking tests most of the time.

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Others of us have kinesthetic intelligence,

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emotional intelligence,

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and even musical intelligence.

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You can guess what areas of life those help with.

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But practical intelligence is sorely lacking these days.

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It’s also known as common sense,

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seeing the world for what it is,

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and how to think.

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In reality,

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it turns out that how we navigate the world and approach it is far more

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important than what we actually know about it.

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Practical intelligence is about taking in your surroundings,

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ascertaining what’s happening,

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and then making the best decision for you with the information you’ve got.

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This might seem to be the most important of thinking skills,

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but it’s also one that is never explicitly taught.

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We are mostly left to ourselves to figure it out,

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and this can easily explain a lot of the mental errors we observe people making

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on a daily basis.

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Going out of business sale?

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Okay,

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I need to buy everything right now.

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This news article makes an outrageous claim without a citation?

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Well,

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sounds about right,

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so I will now believe it with all my might.

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If I feel something is true,

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then it must be true.

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And so on.

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You may be able to spot these errors at the moment,

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but these thoughts occur automatically throughout our lives,

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and we certainly don’t catch all of them.

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Let’s take the first step into using our brains for good,

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instead of using them to fall into traps and follies.

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It’s always about looking underneath the surface and stopping the assumption

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that you can trust what you see,

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hear,

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and feel.

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We’ve all got that distant relative or long-lost friend who sends us

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occasional e-mails outlining the details of an off-the-rails conspiracy theory.

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This week,

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it’s the outrageous,

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infuriating,

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and “totally proven!” theory that the government is using children’s

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television shows to send secret messages to obey their orders.

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And unfortunately,

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you’ve opened this e-mail from your relative,

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even though you should know at this point that when something from this person

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is labeled “Important!” it most certainly will not be.

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“Look at this data from the National Alphabet Council!” they write.

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“It shows that Big Bird from Sesame Street triggers a part of your brain that

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responds positively to authority!

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It’s all in his beak!

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Over 85 percent of all Sesame Street watchers report experiencing electrical

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seizures every time Big Bird appears onscreen!

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I learned all this from Jack Sprat’s podcast Under Attack!

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Stop your kids from watching Sesame Street unless you want them to be lackeys

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to an authoritarian dictator!"

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Something strikes you as ...fishy about this particular story.

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The National Alphabet Council?

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What is that?

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And all those kids reporting seizures?

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Geez,

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you know some people with kids.

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You’d think you would have heard about this by now.

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And isn’t Jack Sprat that guy who claimed pasteurized milk makes schoolkids

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pledge allegiance to Satan?

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All right,

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so you Google “National Alphabet Council."

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To your utter lack of surprise,

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there’s no such organization with its own website.

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But you did find a link to a Snopes.com article that reveals the National

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Alphabet Council was used as a “source” to prove that Green Eggs and Ham

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was a Communist manifesto.

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First off,

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this e-mail didn’t pass the sniff test—something just seems off about it.

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Next,

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you don’t find any data corroborating the reports on electrical seizures from

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kids watching Sesame Street.

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You find no evidence that Big Bird’s beak is sending out coded messages to

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children.

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However,

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you do find something about Jack Sprat - an interview he gave with a major

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metropolitan newspaper in which he admits,

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“Look,

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I’m just an entertainer.

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I make people feel a certain way.

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If I believed half the stuff I talk about,

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I wouldn’t be doing a show.

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I’d be curled up in the corner of my room,

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waiting for the world to end.

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Instead,

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I get a handsome paycheck!"

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You send this information to your relative.

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They respond back,

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“Well,

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that’s interesting.

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I haven’t thought about that.

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But that Jack Sprat is so passionate about his beliefs,

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and he’s a great communicator.

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I think I’ll stick to what he says.

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Say,

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have you heard the Illuminati is monitoring your online dating profiles?"

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Humans all want certainty.

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We want to be sure of our beliefs—uncertainty is an uncomfortable feeling

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that we try to eliminate every time we make a decision or plan an event.

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And we want it fast—now,

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if not sooner.

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Many of us consider doubt and hesitation as roadblocks to getting things done

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or signs of insecurity in our thoughts.

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We’ve even been taught since we were young that speed of certainty is a sign

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of intelligence and solid thinking.

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As a result,

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we often race to get our beliefs affirmed by the first source we find and adopt

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them as proven truth.

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This path presents a critical error in our natural thinking instincts,

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and it’s a tendency we must veer away from for better,

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smarter thinking.

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Certainty is more important than accuracy.

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We tend to seek out confirmation that’s more passionate than truthful.

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We’re more impressed by someone on television mounting a fervent argument

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about an issue,

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instead of a calm,

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reasoning,

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boring person who simply lays out the facts as they are.

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If someone’s acting intensely about their beliefs,

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we’re inclined to think they must have the truth on their side,

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and we get swept up right along with them.

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Practical intelligence is about seeking truth,

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not prioritizing removing uncertainty over establishing certainty.

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They aren’t the same thing.

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Eliminating uncertainty means giving serious thought to what’s causing

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doubt—in our opening short story,

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that would be looking up the National Alphabet Council to find out if they’re

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on the up-and-up.

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Establishing certainty is simply glomming on to the first “fact” that

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soothes the uncomfortable feeling of uncertainty,

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insecurity,

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and simply not being sure of something.

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This first chapter is about not accepting anything at face value,

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because face value tends to deceive in often intentional ways.

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It’s about seeking the truth and nothing but the truth.

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You can imagine this might make you a pain in the butt to deal with,

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but it’s really not about that.

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It’s about the fact that every situation has at least some complexity and

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nuance underneath it.

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And if you keep digging,

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oftentimes,

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things are completely different from what they seemed at first glance.

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Making this whole process harder is the fact that the brain loves certainty so

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much that it processes it as a reward.

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Uncertainty is perceived by the brain as a threat that needs to be extinguished.

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The sooner we can remove that threat with certainty,

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the better,

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no matter how shaky the certainty’s foundation.

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The most effective models of thinking help us quickly decipher and comprehend

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what’s happening in our world.

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They make it easier to decode and interpret what we see and lead us to consider

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matters more thoroughly.

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Ultimately that course will be more rewarding than slap-dash validations of

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what we prefer to believe.

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One helpful thought structure could be called “strong opinions loosely held."

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This means being positive and assured about what you believe,

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but open-minded enough to hear out viewpoints that might challenge your own.

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It also means accepting that there’s nothing weak or embarrassing about

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changing your mind.

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Doing so with a solid grip on the facts is actually a sign of your mental

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strength;

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merely agreeing with the crowd is the real weakness.

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Of course this is easier said than done,

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what with our brains being hungry for assurance and anxious in the face of

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disbelief.

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But we can train our brains to go more deeply beyond appearances and uncover

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the hidden details we don’t see at first glance.

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Curious As A Cat.

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The most powerful tool we have in overcoming our desire for certainty and

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looking beneath the surface isn’t pre-existing intelligence or judgment.

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It’s simple curiosity.

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All human knowledge—from discovering fire and the wheel to the theory of

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relativity—sprang from someone being curious.

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It came from a drive to know more about the nature of the world.

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Curiosity drives one to dive deeply into the nuts and bolts until they come to

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a solid comprehension about a subject or situation.

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And when they get to that point,

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they’re eager to learn more.

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It’s a self-perpetuating trait;

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the more you have of it,

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the more you want it.

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And if you have enough of this one mindset,

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you will be well positioned for deeper thinking.

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Curiosity is a direct path to practical intelligence.

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Pursuing your avenues of curiosity will help you learn and perceive things that

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other people won’t.

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Developing your inquisitiveness is vital to building your knowledge and

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awareness.

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Every field of thought or knowledge,

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without a single exception,

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is easier to learn if you keep your curiosity front and forward.

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It’s how you can naturally get to the heart of things and comprehend deeply.

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But curiosity isn’t automatic,

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and it’s not something you can just will into existence.

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Furthermore,

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some of us are blocked from curiosity because of fear - we tend to have severe

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anxiety about the unknown,

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and that anxiety can be particularly high when we’re about to find out about

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the unknown.

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What we need to do is delve more deeply into the nature of curiosity to

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understand how it really works and how we can use it.

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It’s a far more versatile tool than you might initially expect,

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and can help you think in smarter ways.

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Think of this as a preliminary mindset to digging beneath the surface

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effectively on any topic.

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Most of us would think,

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understandably so,

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that being curious is just a simple matter of having a higher interest in

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learning things or having new experiences.

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When we say someone is “naturally curious,” we usually mean they are

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motivated by this interest more so than other people.

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But in reality,

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there’s a lot more to curiosity than simply having a strong desire to know

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more—people can become curious for quite a few distinctly different reasons.

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Psychology professor Todd B. Kashdan from George Mason University spent a

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considerable amount of time researching the nature of human curiosity.

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Kashdan sought to nail down the diverse characteristics of curiosity into what

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he called “dimensions."

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Kashdan conducted a study with over four hundred participants,

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each of whom answered three hundred personality questions.

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Analyzing the data he received,

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Kashdan developed a model of curiosity that identified five dimensions of

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curiosity.

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These aspects reveal how certain people are motivated to be curious in the

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first place.

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Knowing these dimensions and how they work might help you fire up your own

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curiosity engines.

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Kashdan’s dimensions include - 1. Joyous exploration.

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When considering the nature of curiosity,

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this dimension is probably what we’re picturing - the simple thrill of

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discovering and experiencing things we don’t yet know about.

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The joyous explorer views new knowledge as a component of personal growth,

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which for them is its own reward.

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They’re genuinely excited about reading all of Shakespeare’s plays,

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trying sushi for the first time,

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or riding cross-country in a race car.

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Amassing a wealth of different experiences and knowledge simply makes them

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happy.

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2. Deprivation sensitivity.

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This branch of curiosity,

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on the other hand,

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is more about anxiety.

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Someone working from this dimension feels apprehensive or nervous about their

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lack of information—being “deprived” of knowledge makes them uneasy.

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To reduce this pressure,

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they engage their curiosity.

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The deprivation sensitivity dimension comes into play when we’re trying to

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solve a problem,

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00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:40,720
getting up to speed with our comprehension,

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00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:44,000
or considering complicated or difficult ideas.

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00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:46,200
For example,

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if you’re balancing your bank accounts and find you’ve spent more than you

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have on record,

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you get a little nervous,

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00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:55,640
which in turn makes you go through your receipts to see if you’ve missed

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anything.

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If you’re taking a philosophy class and the material’s going way over your

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head,

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00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:04,960
you feel anxious about your abilities and study a little harder (if you

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00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:06,720
haven’t let fear stop you,

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00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:07,200
that is).

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When you finally discover the information you’re seeking,

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your discomfort will—theoretically—stop.

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3. Stress tolerance.

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Whereas deprivation sensitivity relates to how uncomfortable one feels about

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not having certain knowledge,

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the stress tolerance dimension focuses on the uneasy feelings that can come

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from getting that knowledge or taking on a new experience.

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A person with high stress tolerance in their pursuits is more likely to follow

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their curiosity.

291
00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:40,280
On the other hand,

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00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:43,000
someone who can’t deal with the uncertainty,

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disorder,

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00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:47,640
or doubt that arises when exploring new ideas or having new experiences is less

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00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:50,800
likely to let curiosity lead them.

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00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:56,520
Take two people who have never been on a roller coaster before and are in line

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00:14:56,520 --> 00:14:58,040
to do so at an amusement park.

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Both of them are at least a little nervous about it because it’s a new thing

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00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:02,680
for them.

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00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:07,480
One of them is more willing to confront their fears—they’ve done so before

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00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:11,520
with other things and have always survived—so they’re able to fight through

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00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:13,360
their anxieties and get onboard.

303
00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:14,880
The other one,

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00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:15,120
though,

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00:15:15,120 --> 00:15:19,440
lets their fear reduce them into a quivering mass of exposed nerves.

306
00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:23,320
They have to take the chicken exit and miss out on the roller coaster.

307
00:15:23,320 --> 00:15:28,520
The first person clearly has a higher ability to tolerate stress,

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00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:30,480
can go past their fears,

309
00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:34,120
and will follow their curiosity for a new experience.

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00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:36,040
As for the second person,

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00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:36,760
well,

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00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:39,440
let’s hope they really like the merry-go-round,

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because that’s pretty much all they can handle.

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00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:45,760
4. Social curiosity.

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00:15:45,760 --> 00:15:50,760
This dimension of curiosity is simply the desire to know what’s going on with

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00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:52,720
other people - what they’re thinking,

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00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:53,560
doing,

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00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:54,320
and saying.

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00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:59,200
We indulge this curiosity by interacting with or watching others.

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00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:03,080
We’ll have a conversation with a friend because we’re interested in a movie

321
00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:03,840
they just saw,

322
00:16:03,840 --> 00:16:06,520
or we want to hear their opinions on current events,

323
00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:09,760
or we just have to share in the latest gossip they’ve heard.

324
00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:15,360
Social curiosity can also come from a more detached point of observation.

325
00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:19,680
A great example of this is people-watching in a crowded place,

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00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:21,880
like a bus stop or Central Park.

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00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:24,560
We might see a couple having a spat,

328
00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:27,240
or a couple kids playing a game they just made up,

329
00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:29,440
or a man walking his pet duck.

330
00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:30,880
(It happens.)

331
00:16:30,880 --> 00:16:33,400
Based on what they’re doing or saying,

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00:16:33,400 --> 00:16:38,800
we might form certain judgments or opinions about how they really are or how

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00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:41,120
they behave in a more private situation.

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00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:44,760
Curiosity drives us to study them.

335
00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:48,880
5. Thrill-seeking.

336
00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:53,440
This aspect is similar to the stress tolerance dimension,

337
00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:57,280
except a thrill-seeker doesn’t just tolerate risk — they actually like it.

338
00:16:57,280 --> 00:17:02,800
A thrill-seeker is more than happy to place themselves in harm’s way just so

339
00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:04,200
they can gain more experience.

340
00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:05,360
For them,

341
00:17:05,360 --> 00:17:08,080
it’s worth the gamble of physical jeopardy,

342
00:17:08,080 --> 00:17:09,760
social disavowal,

343
00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:14,040
or financial ruin just to have an adventure or encounter something new.

344
00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:17,400
For a thrill-seeking example,

345
00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:19,840
look no further than Richard Branson,

346
00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:22,240
the hugely successful entrepreneur.

347
00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:25,000
He’s tried to balloon around the world.

348
00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:27,440
He’s tried to race a boat across the Atlantic.

349
00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:32,120
He’s stood valiantly in the path of oncoming storms that destroyed everything

350
00:17:32,120 --> 00:17:33,640
else in the immediate vicinity.

351
00:17:33,640 --> 00:17:34,880
Branson,

352
00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:35,320
in fact,

353
00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:40,160
claims to have had seventy-six “near-death experiences,” including one

354
00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:42,760
where he went over the handlebars of the bicycle he was riding.

355
00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:48,160
Branson escaped with only minor injuries as he watched his bike go off the edge

356
00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:48,520
of a cliff.

357
00:17:48,520 --> 00:17:49,600
Clearly,

358
00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:53,760
Branson feels extremely comfortable in situations where there’s an element of

359
00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:54,240
danger.

360
00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:56,280
That’s your thrill-seeker.

361
00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:59,960
For the joyous explorer and thrill-seeker,

362
00:17:59,960 --> 00:18:03,360
curiosity is pretty easy and automatically generated.

363
00:18:03,360 --> 00:18:05,920
It’s the same for the socially curious,

364
00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:08,640
depending on the situation and who surrounds them.

365
00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:10,640
For these three dimensions,

366
00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:13,480
curiosity is a welcome and comfortable condition.

367
00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:17,240
If you’re aware of the positive benefits you are getting from something,

368
00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:18,880
it’s easier to indulge in them.

369
00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:21,040
But we may not always feel that way,

370
00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:23,120
so we can’t really depend on it.

371
00:18:23,120 --> 00:18:26,240
If you’re resistant to curiosity,

372
00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:29,920
you might serve yourself by considering the origins of your anxiety.

373
00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:34,440
If you’re feeling awkward about not being “in the know” or left out of

374
00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:35,080
the loop,

375
00:18:35,080 --> 00:18:40,720
you could use that motivation to drive you to amend that situation (deprivation

376
00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:41,440
sensitivity).

377
00:18:41,440 --> 00:18:44,200
If you’re unable to fight through your fears,

378
00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:48,760
you might consider ways to rationalize them and get stronger (stress tolerance).

379
00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:49,920
Overall,

380
00:18:49,920 --> 00:18:54,000
we just want to understand what drives us toward and,

381
00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:54,800
conversely,

382
00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:58,520
what prevents us from embodying a curious mindset.

383
00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:01,880
Knowing the driving motivation helps.

384
00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:03,920
For the remainder of this chapter,

385
00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:08,200
we’ll look at techniques and approaches that can at least simulate a sense of

386
00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:13,360
curiosity to help bring you to new knowledge and experience—therefore helping

387
00:19:13,360 --> 00:19:16,640
you go beyond the surface level and get to the bottom of things.

388
00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:19,400
We can’t all naturally think,

389
00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:20,040
“Hey,

390
00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:24,520
what does that really mean?” so these mental models will help you reach that

391
00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:25,840
point methodically.

392
00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:29,280
A Skeptic’S View.

393
00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:35,120
Skepticism is a model to truly understand what you’re looking at and gain the

394
00:19:35,120 --> 00:19:36,240
truthful view of it.

395
00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:40,080
The word “skepticism” is frequently misunderstood,

396
00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:43,400
sometimes being labeled an undesirable trait.

397
00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:46,920
When someone says they’re skeptical about a certain thing,

398
00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:50,200
they might ruffle the feathers of somebody else who thinks they’re just

399
00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:51,840
letting their negativity get in the way.

400
00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:55,400
Why’d they have to ruin all the fun with their skepticism?

401
00:19:55,400 --> 00:20:00,840
Some people use the word “skeptical” interchangeably with the word

402
00:20:00,840 --> 00:20:04,120
“cynical”—but there’s a world of difference between the two.

403
00:20:04,120 --> 00:20:08,000
Except for both trains of thought involving a measure of disbelief,

404
00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:09,560
they couldn’t be more different.

405
00:20:09,560 --> 00:20:14,320
A skeptic approaches everything from a standpoint of reason and learning;

406
00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:18,200
they’re open-minded but picky about requiring evidence.

407
00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:19,560
The cynic,

408
00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:20,000
however,

409
00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:23,200
distrusts any viewpoints they don’t already agree with.

410
00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:25,640
They’re firm and fixed in their beliefs.

411
00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:30,400
They believe everything in life will progress in a certain way and there’s no

412
00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:31,440
point in questioning it.

413
00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:33,120
Even hard,

414
00:20:33,120 --> 00:20:36,240
verifiable evidence may not sway their beliefs.

415
00:20:36,240 --> 00:20:41,200
Cynicism is dangerous because it implies there are no answers to anything in

416
00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:41,640
life.

417
00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:45,960
A cynic believes that matters have already been determined and there’s no

418
00:20:45,960 --> 00:20:47,080
point in challenging them.

419
00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:52,000
Cynicism shuts down investigation and discourages interest.

420
00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:54,960
That’s dangerous because it leads to hopelessness.

421
00:20:54,960 --> 00:20:56,400
Skepticism,

422
00:20:56,400 --> 00:20:57,400
on the other hand,

423
00:20:57,400 --> 00:20:59,840
has a positive goal of discovering real truth.

424
00:20:59,840 --> 00:21:04,480
A skeptic seeks to find irrefutable truth,

425
00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:06,400
or as close as they can get to it.

426
00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:11,800
This by definition involves going beneath the surface and determining what’s

427
00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:12,760
really in front of you.

428
00:21:12,760 --> 00:21:16,240
The word itself derives from the Greek skeptikos,

429
00:21:16,240 --> 00:21:20,240
which translates to “inquiring” or “looking around."

430
00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:23,720
The mission of a skeptic is to question.

431
00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:27,720
The skeptic’s mind is trained to look for the basic facts,

432
00:21:27,720 --> 00:21:30,480
impartial to any bias or agenda.

433
00:21:30,480 --> 00:21:34,720
This is probably an unnatural way for most of us to be thinking,

434
00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:38,280
but it can shed light on how much you leave uncovered.

435
00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:44,760
Skeptics don’t settle for having blind faith or wishing truth into existence.

436
00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:46,960
They don’t want to burst anyone’s bubble,

437
00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:50,440
but neither do they want to fill someone up with false confidence.

438
00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:52,600
They just want to understand,

439
00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:56,640
and they do not discriminate between the conclusions that might surface.

440
00:21:56,640 --> 00:22:00,240
They are the impartial judge of a criminal court,

441
00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:03,840
with similar standards and adherence to intellectual honesty.

442
00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:06,320
They see things in only black and white,

443
00:22:06,320 --> 00:22:07,800
as you also must.

444
00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:09,920
There can be no wiggle room.

445
00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:13,800
Skeptics operate only on evidence.

446
00:22:13,800 --> 00:22:18,520
They must have proof that the assertions of other people actually work or are

447
00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:19,640
completely true.

448
00:22:19,640 --> 00:22:23,080
They can’t accept facts simply at face value.

449
00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:26,280
Before a skeptic can decide something’s real,

450
00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:30,960
they need to see confirmation in the form of data or consistently repeated

451
00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:31,760
results.

452
00:22:31,760 --> 00:22:37,240
The mere fact that someone just “heard somebody say something” is nowhere

453
00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:38,360
close to being evidence.

454
00:22:38,360 --> 00:22:40,440
That’s merely an anecdote,

455
00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:45,320
and the plural of anecdotes is also not evidence.

456
00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:50,280
A healthy skeptic always considers and questions the source of certain

457
00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:54,440
information—and no matter how high up or acclaimed that source may be,

458
00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:57,480
they’re still subject to being confirmed by evidence.

459
00:22:57,480 --> 00:23:00,920
A source may have impeccable credentials,

460
00:23:00,920 --> 00:23:02,240
a gleaming reputation,

461
00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:04,520
and considerable fame or authority.

462
00:23:04,520 --> 00:23:05,440
All of that’s great.

463
00:23:05,440 --> 00:23:07,400
They still need to have evidence.

464
00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:12,760
Skepticism will feel more satisfying the more you use it,

465
00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:15,360
and you’ll be less prone to flawed thinking,

466
00:23:15,360 --> 00:23:16,880
counterfeit facts,

467
00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:18,080
and weak arguments.

468
00:23:18,080 --> 00:23:22,280
Just make sure you don’t become an annoying pedant with this newfound power

469
00:23:22,280 --> 00:23:23,720
of scrutiny you’ve found.

470
00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:28,960
Skepticism is more of a mindset of withholding judgment until you are sure the

471
00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:30,280
truth is plain to see.

472
00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:36,240
This pursuit of truth and reality might echo something you’re already

473
00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:36,880
familiar with,

474
00:23:36,880 --> 00:23:38,360
the scientific method.

475
00:23:38,360 --> 00:23:39,640
Indeed,

476
00:23:39,640 --> 00:23:44,240
skeptics resemble scientists more than anything else for their strict standards

477
00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:44,600
of proof.

478
00:23:44,600 --> 00:23:49,560
The scientific method is a time-proven process for gathering information that

479
00:23:49,560 --> 00:23:52,800
scientists have used for centuries to test their theories.

480
00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:58,440
It works by putting observations and assumptions to scrutiny to ensure that the

481
00:23:58,440 --> 00:23:59,360
truth is discovered.

482
00:23:59,360 --> 00:24:01,120
For instance,

483
00:24:01,120 --> 00:24:04,640
if someone makes an observation that it grows colder at night,

484
00:24:04,640 --> 00:24:09,240
there would be no way of proving this to be truth unless data was collected

485
00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:12,160
during daytime and nighttime and compared.

486
00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:16,880
The scientific method is generally considered to consist of five stages -

487
00:24:16,880 --> 00:24:18,600
asking a question,

488
00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:20,920
constructing a hypothesis,

489
00:24:20,920 --> 00:24:23,080
testing by experimentation,

490
00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:24,880
analysis of results,

491
00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:26,640
and forming a conclusion.

492
00:24:26,640 --> 00:24:27,920
In fact,

493
00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:31,400
this process exactly mirrors skepticism.

494
00:24:31,400 --> 00:24:35,360
An assertion without evidence or fact is as good as an opinion,

495
00:24:35,360 --> 00:24:37,720
and certainly nothing close to truth.

496
00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:38,920
Thus,

497
00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:41,520
in order to put everyday statements to the test,

498
00:24:41,520 --> 00:24:44,040
you’re going to have to conduct an experiment,

499
00:24:44,040 --> 00:24:45,600
collect data,

500
00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:47,480
and analyze results empirically.

501
00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:52,840
Skepticism leads you down a line of inquiry and discovery that cuts out the

502
00:24:52,840 --> 00:24:55,360
assumptions and opens doors of truth.

503
00:24:55,360 --> 00:25:00,440
Now that we’ve established that “skepticism” isn’t a dirty word and is

504
00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:02,880
a hallmark of thinking smarter,

505
00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:07,440
how does one actually use it to evaluate the relative truthfulness of a claim?

506
00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:12,960
Here’s a skeletal guideline for how to approach a topic with appropriate

507
00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:13,800
skepticism.

508
00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:17,880
1. Intake the statement.

509
00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:23,160
Fully absorb the meaning and implications of the claim after it’s been made.

510
00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:26,640
Even if it sounds ridiculous to you at first hearing,

511
00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:29,680
at least pretend that it’s a serious and meaningful belief.

512
00:25:29,680 --> 00:25:33,600
Give your source the benefit of the doubt for this one brief step.

513
00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:37,080
This will allow you to give it the attention it deserves,

514
00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:39,600
if even just to poke holes in it.

515
00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:41,120
When we dismiss,

516
00:25:41,120 --> 00:25:42,680
we don’t pay attention.

517
00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:47,200
2. Question the source.

518
00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:51,520
Consider the viability of the source of the information.

519
00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:52,800
Then,

520
00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:56,480
consider the possible intentions of such a source.

521
00:25:56,480 --> 00:25:58,200
If it’s a publication,

522
00:25:58,200 --> 00:25:59,440
media outlet,

523
00:25:59,440 --> 00:26:00,000
or website,

524
00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:04,880
gauge its reputation and agenda—there are plenty of legitimate-looking

525
00:26:04,880 --> 00:26:08,320
sources that aren’t above distorting or stretching the truth to serve an

526
00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:08,720
agenda.

527
00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:10,480
If it’s a friend,

528
00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:11,040
relative,

529
00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:11,800
or acquaintance,

530
00:26:11,800 --> 00:26:17,080
ask them to tell you where they got the information (without devolving into a

531
00:26:17,080 --> 00:26:18,000
heated argument,

532
00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:18,760
if possible).

533
00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:23,960
3. Search for supporting arguments or information.

534
00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:29,440
If a certain claim has “gone public,” there’s probably ample information

535
00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:31,480
supporting it that you can easily find on the web.

536
00:26:31,480 --> 00:26:35,800
Find the arguments in favor of the statement you’re researching—and again,

537
00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:37,800
question the sources as you go.

538
00:26:37,800 --> 00:26:43,240
4. Search for opposing arguments or information.

539
00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:45,440
Repeat Step 3,

540
00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:46,520
but this time,

541
00:26:46,520 --> 00:26:51,440
look for statements or sources that either deny or criticize the information

542
00:26:51,440 --> 00:26:52,080
you’re looking up.

543
00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:57,480
Be aware of the possibility of confirmation bias on your part while doing this

544
00:26:57,480 --> 00:27:03,480
step—don’t discount opposing views or gravitate toward unreliable sources

545
00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:05,760
just because they’ll back up your own beliefs.

546
00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:08,600
Give yourself a higher standard of truth.

547
00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:15,040
5. Question your findings logically.

548
00:27:15,040 --> 00:27:19,800
Here’s where you put together what you’ve learned and weigh the likelihood

549
00:27:19,800 --> 00:27:21,520
of the statement being true or false.

550
00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:24,880
I like to write things down as a way of thinking through them,

551
00:27:24,880 --> 00:27:27,760
and you can do that by listing pros and cons,

552
00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:29,320
making a mind map,

553
00:27:29,320 --> 00:27:32,200
or writing a persuasive essay to yourself.

554
00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:36,360
Or you can simply do some heavy contemplation in your head without writing

555
00:27:36,360 --> 00:27:37,080
anything down.

556
00:27:37,080 --> 00:27:38,200
Remember,

557
00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:40,040
you are seeking evidence,

558
00:27:40,040 --> 00:27:41,080
not certainty,

559
00:27:41,080 --> 00:27:43,640
and you don’t need an explicit answer.

560
00:27:43,640 --> 00:27:46,080
You just want to look beneath the surface.

561
00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:49,000
Wherever the evidence points is where you look.

562
00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:53,040
If you find the original claim viable,

563
00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:54,120
then you agree.

564
00:27:54,120 --> 00:27:57,880
If you’ve found too much doubt or contradictory evidence,

565
00:27:57,880 --> 00:27:58,960
you disagree.

566
00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:03,480
If you’ve seen compelling evidence for both sides and can’t reconcile it

567
00:28:03,480 --> 00:28:03,640
right now,

568
00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:06,480
you can decide to leave it for the time being.

569
00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:07,360
Again,

570
00:28:07,360 --> 00:28:09,200
what’s important is truth,

571
00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:10,800
not certainty.

572
00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:14,680
The Critical Thinker.

573
00:28:14,680 --> 00:28:20,440
Critical thinking is the act of delaying gratification in lieu of accuracy and

574
00:28:20,440 --> 00:28:24,600
a three-dimensional understanding of the nuances presented to you.

575
00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:28,560
It’s not terribly popular as a way of navigating life,

576
00:28:28,560 --> 00:28:32,000
but it’s how you are going to learn to look beneath the surface of any

577
00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:32,560
statement.

578
00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:36,320
The goal of critical thinking isn’t to produce a quick,

579
00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:38,240
easily digestible answer.

580
00:28:38,240 --> 00:28:39,000
In fact,

581
00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:42,800
it’s not even to provide any certifiable conclusion whatsoever.

582
00:28:42,800 --> 00:28:44,120
Instead,

583
00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:47,840
the point of critical thinking is to make a topic more transparent.

584
00:28:47,840 --> 00:28:53,720
The essence of critical thinking centers not on answering questions but on

585
00:28:53,720 --> 00:28:54,960
questioning answers.

586
00:28:54,960 --> 00:28:56,680
The approach is different,

587
00:28:56,680 --> 00:29:00,920
but the end goal is the same as skepticism’s—to find the truth of the

588
00:29:00,920 --> 00:29:01,400
matter.

589
00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:04,680
Rather than provide a rock-solid,

590
00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:06,440
inarguable conviction,

591
00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:10,880
critical thinking expands your viewpoint and gives you several ways to look at

592
00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:12,240
a situation or problem.

593
00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:17,760
It gets you past the external noise and easy answers to show you the whole

594
00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:19,600
scope of a circumstance or issue.

595
00:29:19,600 --> 00:29:23,680
It allows you to have a discussion about information or a topic,

596
00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:25,720
even if only with yourself.

597
00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:29,360
That’s where you’ll learn more than what meets the eye.

598
00:29:29,360 --> 00:29:35,680
The questions you use in critical thinking go beyond standard “just the

599
00:29:35,680 --> 00:29:36,080
facts,

600
00:29:36,080 --> 00:29:37,160
ma’am” inquiries.

601
00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:38,000
Instead,

602
00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:42,840
they challenge the answerer to probe the reasons for a subject’s importance,

603
00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:43,880
its origins,

604
00:29:43,880 --> 00:29:44,720
relevance,

605
00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:47,560
and countering or alternative beliefs.

606
00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:50,800
They can be applied to any subject—even,

607
00:29:50,800 --> 00:29:52,120
with some adaptation,

608
00:29:52,120 --> 00:29:54,320
scientific or mathematical principles.

609
00:29:54,320 --> 00:29:58,880
The goal isn’t to get you to agree or disagree with a given doctrine,

610
00:29:58,880 --> 00:30:02,000
but just to understand the totality of its meaning.

611
00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:06,360
Let’s try an example - the theory of gravity.

612
00:30:06,360 --> 00:30:11,280
All you need to know is that it is generally one of the laws of physics that

613
00:30:11,280 --> 00:30:13,640
govern our planet and the universe as we know it.

614
00:30:13,640 --> 00:30:16,160
We might think we know what it is,

615
00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:20,400
but subjecting it to a line of critical thinking questions would probably

616
00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:22,960
uncover the fact that it’s not what you first thought.

617
00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:27,800
Here are some questions you could use to critically evaluate the topic.

618
00:30:27,800 --> 00:30:30,760
I’m not going to attempt to answer them,

619
00:30:30,760 --> 00:30:32,200
because last time I checked,

620
00:30:32,200 --> 00:30:33,800
I wasn’t a physicist.

621
00:30:33,800 --> 00:30:36,880
But I did look up enough to form some decent questions,

622
00:30:36,880 --> 00:30:43,160
and the main point of this exercise is to show how they can be phrased - What

623
00:30:43,160 --> 00:30:45,040
makes the theory of gravity important?

624
00:30:45,040 --> 00:30:46,640
This question,

625
00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:47,160
obviously,

626
00:30:47,160 --> 00:30:50,840
seeks out why the theory of gravity deserves to be talked about.

627
00:30:50,840 --> 00:30:55,440
Which details of the theory of gravity are important and why?

628
00:30:55,440 --> 00:31:00,360
This question gets down into the specific elements of the theory of gravity and

629
00:31:00,360 --> 00:31:03,480
how they affect certain factors of a body’s motion.

630
00:31:03,480 --> 00:31:08,680
What differentiates the theory of gravity from other theories?

631
00:31:08,680 --> 00:31:09,440
Why?

632
00:31:09,440 --> 00:31:16,040
This question seeks to discover why the idea does or does not have special

633
00:31:16,040 --> 00:31:16,840
significance.

634
00:31:16,840 --> 00:31:20,960
What is an example of the theory of gravity?

635
00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:26,320
This question seeks to gain understanding through a concrete example.

636
00:31:26,320 --> 00:31:32,400
What are the differences between the theory of gravity and other physics laws?

637
00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:38,000
This query compares two different models and allows you to understand what sets

638
00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:39,760
one model apart from the other.

639
00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:44,560
How is the theory of gravity related to quantum physics?

640
00:31:44,560 --> 00:31:49,280
This question sets up a description of how the subject relates to other

641
00:31:49,280 --> 00:31:50,400
existing knowledge.

642
00:31:50,400 --> 00:31:55,880
What evidence can you provide for or against the theory of gravity?

643
00:31:55,880 --> 00:32:01,440
This question forces acknowledgment of both positive and negative aspects of

644
00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:01,720
the subject.

645
00:32:01,720 --> 00:32:07,320
Each subject or topic has weaknesses and strengths regarding its applicability

646
00:32:07,320 --> 00:32:08,400
and universality.

647
00:32:08,400 --> 00:32:12,600
What patterns do you notice in the theory of gravity?

648
00:32:12,600 --> 00:32:16,800
This helps you search out repetitive elements and cause-and-effect

649
00:32:16,800 --> 00:32:17,560
relationships,

650
00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:20,440
which almost always indicate importance.

651
00:32:20,440 --> 00:32:25,960
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the theory of gravity?

652
00:32:25,960 --> 00:32:31,480
This question sets up another comparison between the possible effects of the

653
00:32:31,480 --> 00:32:32,280
theory of gravity.

654
00:32:32,280 --> 00:32:37,560
When might the theory of gravity be most useful and why?

655
00:32:37,560 --> 00:32:44,200
This question looks for an example of how the concept is used in the real world

656
00:32:44,200 --> 00:32:45,400
and can affect your life.

657
00:32:45,400 --> 00:32:52,160
What criteria would you use to assess whether the theory of gravity is accurate?

658
00:32:52,160 --> 00:32:57,920
This question seeks how to establish hard proof that a concept is working or

659
00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:01,480
not and introduces the concept of specific metrics.

660
00:33:01,480 --> 00:33:07,560
What information would you need to make a decision about the theory of gravity?

661
00:33:07,560 --> 00:33:13,200
This question addresses the conditions in which Keynesian models can thrive and

662
00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:16,040
what contextual information is important.

663
00:33:16,040 --> 00:33:20,120
Do you agree that the theory of gravity works?

664
00:33:20,120 --> 00:33:21,640
Why or why not?

665
00:33:21,640 --> 00:33:26,840
This question encourages you to use your own reasoning to judge the merit of a

666
00:33:26,840 --> 00:33:28,200
certain concept.

667
00:33:28,200 --> 00:33:34,520
How could you create or design a new model of the theory of gravity?

668
00:33:34,520 --> 00:33:36,160
Explain your thinking.

669
00:33:36,160 --> 00:33:42,200
This question urges you to reimagine the concept in accordance with your own

670
00:33:42,200 --> 00:33:45,560
ideas and project how they could work in the future.

671
00:33:45,560 --> 00:33:47,000
Whew.

672
00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:48,520
That’s a lot of questions.

673
00:33:48,520 --> 00:33:53,080
It’s only a fraction of the many sides and angles from which you can examine

674
00:33:53,080 --> 00:33:54,040
any given issue.

675
00:33:54,040 --> 00:33:57,400
None of them are answered in definitive terms,

676
00:33:57,400 --> 00:33:58,760
nor can they be.

677
00:33:58,760 --> 00:34:02,600
But their open-ended nature encourages you to pursue the facts from an

678
00:34:02,600 --> 00:34:04,760
objective standpoint.

679
00:34:04,760 --> 00:34:09,760
Is this beginning to sound circular and repetitive?

680
00:34:09,760 --> 00:34:13,000
It can indeed be a never-ending and tedious exercise,

681
00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:17,280
but if you keep the purpose of discovery and perspective at the forefront,

682
00:34:17,280 --> 00:34:19,040
it becomes more meaningful.

683
00:34:19,040 --> 00:34:21,280
At this point,

684
00:34:21,280 --> 00:34:26,320
you may have used all your answers to formulate a theory or conclusion—or

685
00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:30,320
you’ve come across conclusions from others that address their interpretation

686
00:34:30,320 --> 00:34:31,320
of what the facts mean.

687
00:34:31,320 --> 00:34:34,640
But as with the questions you’ve just asked,

688
00:34:34,640 --> 00:34:37,360
the ideas you come across (even your own)

689
00:34:37,360 --> 00:34:42,000
should also be subjected to the same kind of inquisition as to whether the

690
00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:44,360
conclusions are sound and hold up.

691
00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:49,600
The first few questions should address the structure of the conclusion,

692
00:34:49,600 --> 00:34:52,560
whether it comes from a sound basis in reasoning.

693
00:34:52,560 --> 00:34:57,200
A second set of questions focuses instead on the quality of the conclusions and

694
00:34:57,200 --> 00:34:58,040
supporting arguments.

695
00:34:58,040 --> 00:35:03,320
We can see this through the same example of our theory of gravity model - What

696
00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:08,200
are the issues and conclusions of the theory of gravity?

697
00:35:08,200 --> 00:35:12,200
This question addresses the foundation of the theory—the problem it was

698
00:35:12,200 --> 00:35:15,080
trying to solve—and what the answers are.

699
00:35:15,080 --> 00:35:18,360
What are the reasons for your conclusions?

700
00:35:18,360 --> 00:35:23,680
A well-worded conclusion will list out the facts being used to support it.

701
00:35:23,680 --> 00:35:27,040
This question identifies what those facts are.

702
00:35:27,040 --> 00:35:31,480
And it’s crucial to separate facts from anecdotes or feelings.

703
00:35:31,480 --> 00:35:35,760
What assumptions are you using in your theory?

704
00:35:35,760 --> 00:35:40,400
If there are any variable factors being used when the conclusion is formed,

705
00:35:40,400 --> 00:35:42,640
it’s important to ferret them out.

706
00:35:42,640 --> 00:35:43,800
For instance,

707
00:35:43,800 --> 00:35:44,480
generally,

708
00:35:44,480 --> 00:35:49,640
the theory of gravity assumes that the laws of relativity apply and a quantum

709
00:35:49,640 --> 00:35:51,680
singularity is nowhere nearby.

710
00:35:51,680 --> 00:35:57,680
The next two questions seek to expose the shortcomings of thought that may have

711
00:35:57,680 --> 00:36:02,360
compromised the finding of the conclusions - Are there fallacies in the

712
00:36:02,360 --> 00:36:02,920
reasoning?

713
00:36:02,920 --> 00:36:06,040
This question seeks out any inaccuracies,

714
00:36:06,040 --> 00:36:06,880
mistakes,

715
00:36:06,880 --> 00:36:10,040
or outright falsehoods in any of the reasons given.

716
00:36:10,040 --> 00:36:12,800
How good is the evidence?

717
00:36:12,800 --> 00:36:17,440
This is how you check that the supporting facts behind the conclusion are

718
00:36:17,440 --> 00:36:18,000
airtight,

719
00:36:18,000 --> 00:36:19,560
from legitimate sources,

720
00:36:19,560 --> 00:36:23,040
and not discolored by bias or misinformation.

721
00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:28,360
There’s a chance that these questions might raise even more questions instead

722
00:36:28,360 --> 00:36:29,920
of answering all your inquiries.

723
00:36:29,920 --> 00:36:30,240
But again,

724
00:36:30,240 --> 00:36:34,680
that’s the main point of this line of interrogation - to create a

725
00:36:34,680 --> 00:36:38,760
three-dimensional view of the topic you’re investigating and not just stop at

726
00:36:38,760 --> 00:36:40,640
the first answer that looks “certain."

727
00:36:40,640 --> 00:36:44,280
Just because something is certain does not mean it is truthful.

728
00:36:44,280 --> 00:36:48,720
But wait—critical thinking can go even more deeply,

729
00:36:48,720 --> 00:36:52,160
and we look to the Paul-Elder model for that.

730
00:36:52,160 --> 00:36:55,200
This approach is really going deeper into the rabbit hole,

731
00:36:55,200 --> 00:36:56,280
so to speak.

732
00:36:56,280 --> 00:36:59,720
Paul-Elder Thinking.

733
00:36:59,720 --> 00:37:02,560
As might be apparent by now,

734
00:37:02,560 --> 00:37:04,840
improving the quality of your thinking,

735
00:37:04,840 --> 00:37:09,720
your mental agility and your intelligence is never something that happens by

736
00:37:09,720 --> 00:37:10,160
accident,

737
00:37:10,160 --> 00:37:14,560
but rather something that you develop consciously and deliberately.

738
00:37:14,560 --> 00:37:19,640
Paul-Elder’s framework for critical thinking is an extremely useful tool for

739
00:37:19,640 --> 00:37:23,800
training yourself intellectually and improving the quality of your thinking.

740
00:37:23,800 --> 00:37:27,360
This goes far beyond the set of questions we examined previously,

741
00:37:27,360 --> 00:37:31,080
and sheds a light into an entirely different mode of thought.

742
00:37:31,080 --> 00:37:32,600
Thinking,

743
00:37:32,600 --> 00:37:33,560
as a function,

744
00:37:33,560 --> 00:37:35,840
can take on many characteristics.

745
00:37:35,840 --> 00:37:39,880
Just as physical movement can be graceful and in good form,

746
00:37:39,880 --> 00:37:45,280
thinking can be ordered and “correct” in a similar way—or else clumsy and

747
00:37:45,280 --> 00:37:46,800
inelegant!

748
00:37:46,800 --> 00:37:49,080
By having intellectual standards,

749
00:37:49,080 --> 00:37:52,640
we establish a goal for the quality of thought we strive to achieve,

750
00:37:52,640 --> 00:37:57,600
and a big part of this is developing the skill and habit of critical thinking.

751
00:37:57,600 --> 00:38:03,240
There are three main components to this framework -      1.

752
00:38:03,240 --> 00:38:06,000
The Elements Of Thought Or Reasoning.

753
00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:07,840
2.

754
00:38:07,840 --> 00:38:12,200
The intellectual standards that should be applied to the elements of reasoning

755
00:38:12,200 --> 00:38:13,360
and    3.

756
00:38:13,360 --> 00:38:16,440
The intellectual traits of a critical thinker.

757
00:38:16,440 --> 00:38:19,800
Let’s begin with the first component.

758
00:38:19,800 --> 00:38:22,280
What are the elements of reasoning?

759
00:38:22,280 --> 00:38:27,760
Paul-Elder invites us to consider the units of the thought process itself,

760
00:38:27,760 --> 00:38:30,440
and assess them and their function.

761
00:38:30,440 --> 00:38:36,200
The authors proposed eight structural elements of reasoning -     1.

762
00:38:36,200 --> 00:38:37,000
Purpose.

763
00:38:37,000 --> 00:38:38,240
2.

764
00:38:38,240 --> 00:38:39,200
Questions.

765
00:38:39,200 --> 00:38:40,320
3.

766
00:38:40,320 --> 00:38:41,520
Point Of View.

767
00:38:41,520 --> 00:38:42,840
4.

768
00:38:42,840 --> 00:38:43,800
Information.

769
00:38:43,800 --> 00:38:45,040
5.

770
00:38:45,040 --> 00:38:46,320
Inferences.

771
00:38:46,320 --> 00:38:47,600
6.

772
00:38:47,600 --> 00:38:48,680
Concepts.

773
00:38:48,680 --> 00:38:49,760
7.

774
00:38:49,760 --> 00:38:50,880
Implications.

775
00:38:50,880 --> 00:38:52,200
8.

776
00:38:52,200 --> 00:38:53,160
Assumptions.

777
00:38:53,160 --> 00:38:55,040
The first,

778
00:38:55,040 --> 00:38:55,920
purpose,

779
00:38:55,920 --> 00:38:57,720
is otherwise called your goal,

780
00:38:57,720 --> 00:38:59,920
objective or intention.

781
00:38:59,920 --> 00:39:03,920
A good critical thinker will be crystal clear on their purpose.

782
00:39:03,920 --> 00:39:05,160
In other words,

783
00:39:05,160 --> 00:39:06,960
what are you really trying to do here,

784
00:39:06,960 --> 00:39:07,720
and why?

785
00:39:07,720 --> 00:39:10,120
Does your goal need refinement,

786
00:39:10,120 --> 00:39:10,960
or expansion?

787
00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:14,040
Another element is the question itself,

788
00:39:14,040 --> 00:39:17,600
the problem at hand or the issue being explored.

789
00:39:17,600 --> 00:39:19,800
Heisenberg famously claimed,

790
00:39:19,800 --> 00:39:22,240
“What we observe is not nature itself,

791
00:39:22,240 --> 00:39:25,960
but nature exposed to our method of questioning."

792
00:39:25,960 --> 00:39:27,400
Essentially,

793
00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:29,560
the quality of your inquiry matters,

794
00:39:29,560 --> 00:39:32,080
and will shape the rest of your critical thinking.

795
00:39:32,080 --> 00:39:33,880
To assess this element,

796
00:39:33,880 --> 00:39:38,680
ask yourself exactly what question you’re trying to answer—and how you’re

797
00:39:38,680 --> 00:39:39,680
stating that question.

798
00:39:39,680 --> 00:39:41,600
Could you frame it differently?

799
00:39:41,600 --> 00:39:43,600
What kind of question is it,

800
00:39:43,600 --> 00:39:45,120
and could it be simplified?

801
00:39:45,120 --> 00:39:47,200
What form will the answer take?

802
00:39:47,200 --> 00:39:50,880
Is it really a collection of several smaller questions?

803
00:39:50,880 --> 00:39:55,520
Critical thinking also entails gathering information.

804
00:39:55,520 --> 00:39:57,800
If you’ve refined your question properly,

805
00:39:57,800 --> 00:40:00,520
you are able to gather data that is relevant to it,

806
00:40:00,520 --> 00:40:03,200
and ignore data that isn’t.

807
00:40:03,200 --> 00:40:07,400
Ask yourself whether the data you’re gathering is not just relevant,

808
00:40:07,400 --> 00:40:09,560
but also sufficient—i.e.,

809
00:40:09,560 --> 00:40:11,360
is there enough of it?

810
00:40:11,360 --> 00:40:12,280
Is it accurate,

811
00:40:12,280 --> 00:40:13,560
and where did it come from?

812
00:40:13,560 --> 00:40:15,800
Is there some information you’re missing?

813
00:40:15,800 --> 00:40:18,800
When you judge a piece of data as relevant,

814
00:40:18,800 --> 00:40:21,560
how exactly are you making that appraisal?

815
00:40:21,560 --> 00:40:25,560
This will seamlessly lead you to another component,

816
00:40:25,560 --> 00:40:26,640
inference.

817
00:40:26,640 --> 00:40:30,840
You take in the data in front of you and draw conclusions from it.

818
00:40:30,840 --> 00:40:35,200
You interpret a set of facts to come to some conclusive statement about it.

819
00:40:35,200 --> 00:40:36,320
However,

820
00:40:36,320 --> 00:40:38,400
to check that you’re doing this correctly,

821
00:40:38,400 --> 00:40:42,240
you need to make sure your inferences actually flow logically from the evidence

822
00:40:42,240 --> 00:40:43,080
at hand.

823
00:40:43,080 --> 00:40:46,200
Does your interpretation make sense,

824
00:40:46,200 --> 00:40:49,160
or have you overlooked another possible angle?

825
00:40:49,160 --> 00:40:51,640
How did you reach your conclusion,

826
00:40:51,640 --> 00:40:53,480
and is it sound—i.e.,

827
00:40:53,480 --> 00:40:56,240
did you make any unfounded assumptions?

828
00:40:56,240 --> 00:41:01,640
Inferences should be no more and no less than the data suggests.

829
00:41:01,640 --> 00:41:05,520
Here’s the moment when you weigh up alternatives and question your

830
00:41:05,520 --> 00:41:06,320
assumptions.

831
00:41:06,320 --> 00:41:09,800
From this flows another component,

832
00:41:09,800 --> 00:41:10,880
concepts.

833
00:41:10,880 --> 00:41:12,320
These are the theories,

834
00:41:12,320 --> 00:41:13,160
ideas,

835
00:41:13,160 --> 00:41:13,880
models,

836
00:41:13,880 --> 00:41:18,760
principles and laws we construct for ourselves to better help us understand the

837
00:41:18,760 --> 00:41:19,680
data we see.

838
00:41:19,680 --> 00:41:20,680
Again,

839
00:41:20,680 --> 00:41:25,560
concepts should be “justifiable,” which means they should be appropriate to

840
00:41:25,560 --> 00:41:25,920
the data,

841
00:41:25,920 --> 00:41:28,360
not go above or beyond it.

842
00:41:28,360 --> 00:41:31,000
Think carefully about your hypothesis,

843
00:41:31,000 --> 00:41:33,000
your claims and your assumptions.

844
00:41:33,000 --> 00:41:38,240
Try to find the core thread or principle and ask whether it’s sufficiently

845
00:41:38,240 --> 00:41:38,560
clear,

846
00:41:38,560 --> 00:41:40,520
simple and relevant.

847
00:41:40,520 --> 00:41:46,560
Models are only good so long as they accurately reflect reality and allow us to

848
00:41:46,560 --> 00:41:47,200
make predictions.

849
00:41:47,200 --> 00:41:49,520
Does your model/theory do this?

850
00:41:49,520 --> 00:41:51,560
Why or why not?

851
00:41:51,560 --> 00:41:55,920
Assumptions are another component we’ve already mentioned.

852
00:41:55,920 --> 00:42:01,160
These are ideas we take for granted—consciously or unconsciously—even

853
00:42:01,160 --> 00:42:03,360
though there may not strictly be evidence for them.

854
00:42:03,360 --> 00:42:08,320
Ask what “obvious” pieces of information you’re relying on or haven’t

855
00:42:08,320 --> 00:42:09,200
properly looked at.

856
00:42:09,200 --> 00:42:11,360
What is being taken as a given,

857
00:42:11,360 --> 00:42:14,240
and what have you glanced over as unimportant?

858
00:42:14,240 --> 00:42:15,240
Is it?

859
00:42:15,240 --> 00:42:19,480
Look closely at all the steps you took to reach your conclusions or theories

860
00:42:19,480 --> 00:42:22,720
and ask if they’re strictly supported by fact.

861
00:42:22,720 --> 00:42:27,560
Implications and consequences are another component.

862
00:42:27,560 --> 00:42:33,680
If you settle on an idea or “truth,” then some other ideas or truths will

863
00:42:33,680 --> 00:42:36,440
naturally and logically follow from the first.

864
00:42:36,440 --> 00:42:38,560
Actions have consequences,

865
00:42:38,560 --> 00:42:40,960
and thoughts have implications.

866
00:42:40,960 --> 00:42:42,760
Have you considered all of yours?

867
00:42:42,760 --> 00:42:46,960
What naturally follows if you do/claim something?

868
00:42:46,960 --> 00:42:51,680
What are the likely implications of taking your position or making your

869
00:42:51,680 --> 00:42:52,640
particular claim?

870
00:42:52,640 --> 00:42:54,440
Finally,

871
00:42:54,440 --> 00:42:57,080
the eighth component is point of view,

872
00:42:57,080 --> 00:43:01,160
which is essentially your own unique perspective or orientation.

873
00:43:01,160 --> 00:43:05,520
Nobody has the privilege of a completely neutral frame of reference,

874
00:43:05,520 --> 00:43:08,280
so it’s worth considering what your position is,

875
00:43:08,280 --> 00:43:10,080
and how it affects your reasoning.

876
00:43:10,080 --> 00:43:12,720
What are you focusing on and why?

877
00:43:12,720 --> 00:43:16,200
Is there another alternative perspective worth considering?

878
00:43:16,200 --> 00:43:21,360
Is your view reasonable—or does it ignore or amplify certain things?

879
00:43:21,360 --> 00:43:25,520
Consider how your point of view interacts with your assumptions and your

880
00:43:25,520 --> 00:43:27,600
conclusions about what’s in front of you.

881
00:43:27,600 --> 00:43:29,720
Does it contrast with others’?

882
00:43:29,720 --> 00:43:33,800
Are you giving yourself sufficient opportunity to challenge your orientation,

883
00:43:33,800 --> 00:43:38,640
or reconsider points of view that may be limiting you or causing you confusion

884
00:43:38,640 --> 00:43:39,080
or distress?

885
00:43:39,080 --> 00:43:42,000
As you can see,

886
00:43:42,000 --> 00:43:47,120
each of these components makes up the complex and ever-changing process of our

887
00:43:47,120 --> 00:43:47,560
thinking.

888
00:43:47,560 --> 00:43:51,720
But without conscious awareness of how these components are working and

889
00:43:51,720 --> 00:43:52,040
interacting,

890
00:43:52,040 --> 00:43:55,680
the quality of our thought is unlikely to be high.

891
00:43:55,680 --> 00:43:59,200
You may run wild with unfounded assumptions,

892
00:43:59,200 --> 00:44:05,120
draw faulty conclusions or start extrapolating from incomplete data to prove a

893
00:44:05,120 --> 00:44:07,760
poorly conceived theory that is only backed up by partial,

894
00:44:07,760 --> 00:44:09,240
low-quality data.

895
00:44:09,240 --> 00:44:12,440
And you might not be aware that you are doing it!

896
00:44:12,440 --> 00:44:14,040
Now,

897
00:44:14,040 --> 00:44:17,520
the whole reason for understanding these elements (the first part of the

898
00:44:17,520 --> 00:44:18,000
framework)

899
00:44:18,000 --> 00:44:23,080
is so that you can appraise and improve upon them using your intellectual

900
00:44:23,080 --> 00:44:24,720
standards (the second part).

901
00:44:24,720 --> 00:44:27,680
In asking some of the questions we have above,

902
00:44:27,680 --> 00:44:31,920
we’ve seen how it’s possible to challenge and explore each of these

903
00:44:31,920 --> 00:44:32,480
components.

904
00:44:32,480 --> 00:44:36,760
Paul-Elder had a more formalized way of doing this,

905
00:44:36,760 --> 00:44:40,320
which they called their “universal intellectual standards."

906
00:44:40,320 --> 00:44:42,920
These determine the quality of the reasoning,

907
00:44:42,920 --> 00:44:44,800
acting as a guide for thinking.

908
00:44:44,800 --> 00:44:49,280
You may perform some of these questions or appraisals deliberately at first,

909
00:44:49,280 --> 00:44:53,600
but the goal is to make them more habitual and automatic with time.

910
00:44:53,600 --> 00:44:57,320
There are nine standards in total,

911
00:44:57,320 --> 00:45:03,280
and they can each in turn be applied to the elements listed above -     1.

912
00:45:03,280 --> 00:45:04,400
Clarity.

913
00:45:04,400 --> 00:45:05,800
2.

914
00:45:05,800 --> 00:45:07,080
Accuracy.

915
00:45:07,080 --> 00:45:08,560
3.

916
00:45:08,560 --> 00:45:09,640
Precision.

917
00:45:09,640 --> 00:45:11,120
4.

918
00:45:11,120 --> 00:45:12,120
Relevance.

919
00:45:12,120 --> 00:45:13,640
5.

920
00:45:13,640 --> 00:45:14,560
Depth.

921
00:45:14,560 --> 00:45:16,240
6.

922
00:45:16,240 --> 00:45:17,200
Breadth.

923
00:45:17,200 --> 00:45:19,040
7.

924
00:45:19,040 --> 00:45:19,920
Logic.

925
00:45:19,920 --> 00:45:21,640
8.

926
00:45:21,640 --> 00:45:22,880
Significance.

927
00:45:22,880 --> 00:45:24,480
9.

928
00:45:24,480 --> 00:45:25,480
Fairness.

929
00:45:25,480 --> 00:45:29,080
The first standard is clarity.

930
00:45:29,080 --> 00:45:33,160
To clarify is to cut down on confusion or vagueness,

931
00:45:33,160 --> 00:45:35,920
for instance if you can elaborate on a claim,

932
00:45:35,920 --> 00:45:37,400
provide an example,

933
00:45:37,400 --> 00:45:40,600
or if you can paraphrase or simplify what you’re saying.

934
00:45:40,600 --> 00:45:41,800
Often,

935
00:45:41,800 --> 00:45:44,960
what seems like a great idea is really just a noisy,

936
00:45:44,960 --> 00:45:48,400
busy one that falls apart once you try to streamline it.

937
00:45:48,400 --> 00:45:53,200
Accuracy is the standard of veracity.

938
00:45:53,200 --> 00:45:54,080
In other words,

939
00:45:54,080 --> 00:45:55,080
is it true?

940
00:45:55,080 --> 00:45:56,560
How could you tell?

941
00:45:56,560 --> 00:46:00,600
When checking a claim or a piece of information’s truth,

942
00:46:00,600 --> 00:46:05,000
we also have to consider the source and motivation of the evidence itself.

943
00:46:05,000 --> 00:46:10,360
Really ask why you have reason to believe this idea is true—or not.

944
00:46:10,360 --> 00:46:14,000
Is it better understood as a theory or opinion?

945
00:46:14,000 --> 00:46:17,880
The standard of precision is also important.

946
00:46:17,880 --> 00:46:19,720
It’s about specificity.

947
00:46:19,720 --> 00:46:23,880
Good thinking is about exact statements that are clear and focused.

948
00:46:23,880 --> 00:46:25,600
Are you being too general?

949
00:46:25,600 --> 00:46:27,000
Sometimes,

950
00:46:27,000 --> 00:46:31,280
good critical thinking means getting into the details of things to find exactly

951
00:46:31,280 --> 00:46:32,000
what you’re saying.

952
00:46:32,000 --> 00:46:35,880
Relevance is a standard already mentioned.

953
00:46:35,880 --> 00:46:37,760
This is not a value judgment,

954
00:46:37,760 --> 00:46:38,800
or a personal opinion,

955
00:46:38,800 --> 00:46:42,880
but rather an assessment of whether your thought actually has anything to do

956
00:46:42,880 --> 00:46:44,120
with your stated aim.

957
00:46:44,120 --> 00:46:47,280
It’s necessary to bear the original question in mind,

958
00:46:47,280 --> 00:46:49,400
and keep comparing your questions,

959
00:46:49,400 --> 00:46:52,360
data and interpretations against it.

960
00:46:52,360 --> 00:46:56,680
Is what you’re thinking about actually helping the issue at hand?

961
00:46:56,680 --> 00:47:02,120
Depth is the standard that concerns levels of complexity.

962
00:47:02,120 --> 00:47:05,000
Are you thinking in too shallow a fashion?

963
00:47:05,000 --> 00:47:09,080
Have you properly considered the difficulties and complexities of the issue at

964
00:47:09,080 --> 00:47:09,480
hand?

965
00:47:09,480 --> 00:47:14,000
This standard allows you to fully comprehend the real scope of the question,

966
00:47:14,000 --> 00:47:17,040
and the extent to which you’re trying to solve it.

967
00:47:17,040 --> 00:47:19,120
Similarly,

968
00:47:19,120 --> 00:47:23,120
breadth is a question not of the complexities and difficulties of an issue,

969
00:47:23,120 --> 00:47:25,720
but rather its natural boundaries.

970
00:47:25,720 --> 00:47:28,560
Have you considered enough other perspectives?

971
00:47:28,560 --> 00:47:31,920
Could the way you’re thinking be expanded to include more?

972
00:47:31,920 --> 00:47:37,360
Here’s where you weigh alternative points of view and expand the edges of

973
00:47:37,360 --> 00:47:37,840
your own.

974
00:47:37,840 --> 00:47:43,360
Logic is an obvious standard that is harder to apply than it seems.

975
00:47:43,360 --> 00:47:45,520
It can be difficult to pick apart,

976
00:47:45,520 --> 00:47:49,160
but ask yourself whether what you’re thinking strictly makes sense.

977
00:47:49,160 --> 00:47:51,520
If your thinking was an argument,

978
00:47:51,520 --> 00:47:55,120
would each premise flow naturally from the previous one?

979
00:47:55,120 --> 00:47:59,000
Does your claim actually follow from the evidence at hand?

980
00:47:59,000 --> 00:48:02,760
Are you solving the problem in the right terms?

981
00:48:02,760 --> 00:48:06,640
This standard is about making sure that the elements of your thinking are

982
00:48:06,640 --> 00:48:08,840
actually cohering soundly.

983
00:48:08,840 --> 00:48:11,920
The standard of significance is,

984
00:48:11,920 --> 00:48:12,640
in a way,

985
00:48:12,640 --> 00:48:13,760
about focus.

986
00:48:13,760 --> 00:48:17,280
Look carefully at the information you are choosing to focus on,

987
00:48:17,280 --> 00:48:22,120
and ask whether it really is the most significant aspect of the issue at hand.

988
00:48:22,120 --> 00:48:27,800
Try to find the central issue of the matter and pay it proportional attention.

989
00:48:27,800 --> 00:48:32,280
Are you getting sidetracked by relatively insignificant details?

990
00:48:32,280 --> 00:48:37,560
Look closely to sift through and filter out only what is most important.

991
00:48:37,560 --> 00:48:39,440
Finally,

992
00:48:39,440 --> 00:48:42,040
the standard of fairness is significant,

993
00:48:42,040 --> 00:48:44,160
although a little tricky to get a handle on.

994
00:48:44,160 --> 00:48:45,080
Here,

995
00:48:45,080 --> 00:48:48,640
you ask yourself whether your thinking is “justifiable."

996
00:48:48,640 --> 00:48:52,400
A good critical thinker considers the thinking of others,

997
00:48:52,400 --> 00:48:54,800
and the purpose they’re working toward.

998
00:48:54,800 --> 00:49:00,240
This standard is the closest to a moral aspect—are you actually using your

999
00:49:00,240 --> 00:49:02,280
intellect clearly and honorably,

1000
00:49:02,280 --> 00:49:06,520
or are you merely attempting to win an argument or manipulate data in order to

1001
00:49:06,520 --> 00:49:09,000
get what you want from the situation?

1002
00:49:09,000 --> 00:49:14,880
This standard asks that we are being reasonable and mature in the way we think,

1003
00:49:14,880 --> 00:49:17,680
and to carefully consider the consequences.

1004
00:49:17,680 --> 00:49:19,240
Sadly,

1005
00:49:19,240 --> 00:49:23,240
many people mistake intellectual rigor for a blood sport,

1006
00:49:23,240 --> 00:49:27,840
or think that developing critical thinking is merely a fancy way to assert

1007
00:49:27,840 --> 00:49:31,000
intellectual dominance over others and win arguments.

1008
00:49:31,000 --> 00:49:35,520
This is why it’s crucial to consistently question your own position,

1009
00:49:35,520 --> 00:49:38,800
your own intentions and your own limitations.

1010
00:49:38,800 --> 00:49:43,200
A critical thinker is not someone who is really good at being right,

1011
00:49:43,200 --> 00:49:45,640
or showing their intellectual prowess.

1012
00:49:45,640 --> 00:49:46,360
Rather,

1013
00:49:46,360 --> 00:49:50,560
a critical thinker is someone who has trained themselves to be comfortable with

1014
00:49:50,560 --> 00:49:51,040
being wrong,

1015
00:49:51,040 --> 00:49:56,600
and who can use their cognitive processes not just to confirm what they already

1016
00:49:56,600 --> 00:49:58,160
know or wish was the case,

1017
00:49:58,160 --> 00:50:02,880
but rather to enlighten themselves and reveal new avenues of thinking that

1018
00:50:02,880 --> 00:50:06,840
might otherwise be hidden by sloppy or unexamined thought.

1019
00:50:06,840 --> 00:50:11,680
This leads us to the third and final part of the framework,

1020
00:50:11,680 --> 00:50:16,720
which is the intellectual traits that Elder saw as belonging to those who have

1021
00:50:16,720 --> 00:50:18,040
mastered critical thinking.

1022
00:50:18,040 --> 00:50:22,800
In successfully applying our intellectual standards to the elements of

1023
00:50:22,800 --> 00:50:23,120
reasoning,

1024
00:50:23,120 --> 00:50:27,800
we fine-tune our mental apparatus and become better thinkers,

1025
00:50:27,800 --> 00:50:28,840
period.

1026
00:50:28,840 --> 00:50:32,680
Those who have developed the habit (and it’s a habit,

1027
00:50:32,680 --> 00:50:35,080
not a static personality trait)

1028
00:50:35,080 --> 00:50:37,720
of critical thinking display certain characteristics,

1029
00:50:37,720 --> 00:50:42,720
and in turn can do well to cultivate the characteristics themselves.

1030
00:50:42,720 --> 00:50:44,400
These Traits Include -

1031
00:50:44,400 --> 00:50:45,360
1.

1032
00:50:45,360 --> 00:50:47,480
Intellectual Humility.

1033
00:50:47,480 --> 00:50:48,880
2.

1034
00:50:48,880 --> 00:50:50,560
Intellectual Courage.

1035
00:50:50,560 --> 00:50:52,160
3.

1036
00:50:52,160 --> 00:50:53,680
Fair-Mindedness.

1037
00:50:53,680 --> 00:50:55,280
4.

1038
00:50:55,280 --> 00:51:01,440
Intellectual empathy (i.e. the ability to not just pay lip service to other

1039
00:51:01,440 --> 00:51:02,000
points of view,

1040
00:51:02,000 --> 00:51:06,880
but to actually deeply consider them as alternatives to their own view)

1041
00:51:06,880 --> 00:51:09,200
5.

1042
00:51:09,200 --> 00:51:11,640
Confidence In One’S Own Reasoning.

1043
00:51:11,640 --> 00:51:13,160
6.

1044
00:51:13,160 --> 00:51:14,920
Intellectual autonomy,

1045
00:51:14,920 --> 00:51:19,960
i.e. the ability to “think for oneself”    7.

1046
00:51:19,960 --> 00:51:22,040
Intellectual perseverance,

1047
00:51:22,040 --> 00:51:25,520
i.e. the ability to push on with a confusing,

1048
00:51:25,520 --> 00:51:28,440
unpopular or difficult concept.

1049
00:51:28,440 --> 00:51:30,480
8.

1050
00:51:30,480 --> 00:51:31,720
Integrity.

1051
00:51:31,720 --> 00:51:36,920
Though it’s helpful to bear these qualities in mind when developing your own

1052
00:51:36,920 --> 00:51:37,960
mental capacity,

1053
00:51:37,960 --> 00:51:42,600
they are better understood as emergent qualities that come from the consistent

1054
00:51:42,600 --> 00:51:47,320
application of intellectual standards to the elements of your own reasoning.

1055
00:51:47,320 --> 00:51:48,720
In other words,

1056
00:51:48,720 --> 00:51:51,000
we can idealize the strong,

1057
00:51:51,000 --> 00:51:53,600
toned physiques of professional athletes,

1058
00:51:53,600 --> 00:51:57,040
but we can only achieve that for ourselves with diligent,

1059
00:51:57,040 --> 00:51:58,280
consistent training.

1060
00:51:58,280 --> 00:52:03,400
People who make critical thinking a part of their daily lives will learn to

1061
00:52:03,400 --> 00:52:05,640
formulate their problems clearly and concisely,

1062
00:52:05,640 --> 00:52:09,000
and will watch themselves think about solutions,

1063
00:52:09,000 --> 00:52:11,920
asking whether the data they’re using is relevant,

1064
00:52:11,920 --> 00:52:12,960
sufficient,

1065
00:52:12,960 --> 00:52:13,880
and logical.

1066
00:52:13,880 --> 00:52:17,720
They’ll keep asking questions (primarily of themselves!)

1067
00:52:17,720 --> 00:52:22,560
and test any conclusions they come to against both intellectual standards and

1068
00:52:22,560 --> 00:52:23,680
their own objectives.

1069
00:52:23,680 --> 00:52:27,680
They will take great pains to make sure they don’t accept faulty

1070
00:52:27,680 --> 00:52:28,440
interpretations,

1071
00:52:28,440 --> 00:52:30,880
or fail to consider alternatives.

1072
00:52:30,880 --> 00:52:37,160
They are simultaneously open-minded and geared toward refining and concluding.

1073
00:52:37,160 --> 00:52:39,680
They are above all curious,

1074
00:52:39,680 --> 00:52:44,240
and want to find the best way to satisfy this curiosity—not to be

1075
00:52:44,240 --> 00:52:48,480
“right,” but for the satisfaction of cultivating knowledge about themselves

1076
00:52:48,480 --> 00:52:49,000
and the world.

1077
00:52:49,000 --> 00:52:50,360
In all this,

1078
00:52:50,360 --> 00:52:53,360
they don’t lose sight of the context in which they operate,

1079
00:52:53,360 --> 00:52:55,320
and they know how to communicate with others,

1080
00:52:55,320 --> 00:52:59,280
even in complex situations or where viewpoints differ.

1081
00:52:59,280 --> 00:53:04,640
Let’s consider a few examples of how this entire process works together.

1082
00:53:04,640 --> 00:53:09,080
Imagine you’re at a get-together of friends and are introduced to someone

1083
00:53:09,080 --> 00:53:09,240
new,

1084
00:53:09,240 --> 00:53:11,600
and you strike up a conversation with them.

1085
00:53:11,600 --> 00:53:14,000
You compliment them on their cool shirt,

1086
00:53:14,000 --> 00:53:18,560
and they tell you how surprisingly cheap it was and what a good deal they got

1087
00:53:18,560 --> 00:53:18,880
on it.

1088
00:53:18,880 --> 00:53:22,640
You make a lighthearted comment about how it was probably made in a sweatshop

1089
00:53:22,640 --> 00:53:22,880
somewhere,

1090
00:53:22,880 --> 00:53:25,160
like so much of our clothing today.

1091
00:53:25,160 --> 00:53:27,560
The other person laughs but says,

1092
00:53:27,560 --> 00:53:28,240
“Well,

1093
00:53:28,240 --> 00:53:29,280
let’s hope not.

1094
00:53:29,280 --> 00:53:29,480
But,

1095
00:53:29,480 --> 00:53:31,560
not all sweatshops are bad."

1096
00:53:31,560 --> 00:53:34,080
You gear up to disagree,

1097
00:53:34,080 --> 00:53:39,240
and share what you know about the issue - that sweatshops for major clothing

1098
00:53:39,240 --> 00:53:42,680
labels are responsible for some of the worst human rights violations in the

1099
00:53:42,680 --> 00:53:42,880
world,

1100
00:53:42,880 --> 00:53:48,360
and exploit third-world countries only to make massive profits for already

1101
00:53:48,360 --> 00:53:49,320
wealthy corporations.

1102
00:53:49,320 --> 00:53:50,080
In fact,

1103
00:53:50,080 --> 00:53:52,840
you’re surprised that this person doesn’t know this,

1104
00:53:52,840 --> 00:53:55,920
and soon you’re embroiled in a heated discussion.

1105
00:53:55,920 --> 00:53:59,280
If you were a practiced critical thinker,

1106
00:53:59,280 --> 00:53:59,680
however,

1107
00:53:59,680 --> 00:54:02,880
you would pause here and practice some humility,

1108
00:54:02,880 --> 00:54:07,400
becoming genuinely curious about your new friend’s position and claims,

1109
00:54:07,400 --> 00:54:10,080
and what information they have to back them up.

1110
00:54:10,080 --> 00:54:13,360
You would be aware of your own emotional investment in the issue,

1111
00:54:13,360 --> 00:54:17,560
and would start to question your own perspective rather than jump in with an

1112
00:54:17,560 --> 00:54:19,280
argument based on assumptions.

1113
00:54:19,280 --> 00:54:21,400
Throughout your conversation,

1114
00:54:21,400 --> 00:54:25,880
you ask thoughtful but focused questions to try to understand their point of

1115
00:54:25,880 --> 00:54:27,320
view—and your own.

1116
00:54:27,320 --> 00:54:30,920
Why do they think that some sweatshops are not bad?

1117
00:54:30,920 --> 00:54:32,840
Where did they get their information?

1118
00:54:32,840 --> 00:54:35,680
You practice fairness in your thinking.

1119
00:54:35,680 --> 00:54:39,120
You hold off on making a conclusion until you’ve gathered the facts.

1120
00:54:39,120 --> 00:54:42,000
After a long conversation,

1121
00:54:42,000 --> 00:54:46,280
you discover that this person comes from a country where “sweatshops” pay

1122
00:54:46,280 --> 00:54:51,320
workers in one week what they’d receive doing a month’s worth of any other

1123
00:54:51,320 --> 00:54:51,680
work.

1124
00:54:51,680 --> 00:54:56,800
You learn that many previously destitute people are able to work and support

1125
00:54:56,800 --> 00:55:01,680
their families because of these clothing manufacturers—and your friend comes

1126
00:55:01,680 --> 00:55:02,800
from one of these families.

1127
00:55:02,800 --> 00:55:07,440
You learn that although sweatshops do indeed subject workers to horrific

1128
00:55:07,440 --> 00:55:07,880
conditions,

1129
00:55:07,880 --> 00:55:12,880
they also happen to be the best option for many in some countries—a

1130
00:55:12,880 --> 00:55:15,480
complicated piece of information you didn’t possess before.

1131
00:55:15,480 --> 00:55:18,200
You quickly realize that,

1132
00:55:18,200 --> 00:55:21,920
sweatshops being an issue you’ve never really taken the time to consider,

1133
00:55:21,920 --> 00:55:23,920
there’s more to it than you thought.

1134
00:55:23,920 --> 00:55:26,000
You also realize that,

1135
00:55:26,000 --> 00:55:27,160
compared to your friend,

1136
00:55:27,160 --> 00:55:30,320
you actually possess less information about this topic,

1137
00:55:30,320 --> 00:55:34,400
and are not even sure where your impressions about it come from.

1138
00:55:34,400 --> 00:55:38,840
You leave the conversation with a renewed interest in better understanding the

1139
00:55:38,840 --> 00:55:41,040
politics of your friend’s home country,

1140
00:55:41,040 --> 00:55:45,280
and are grateful for the opportunity to have questioned your knee-jerk,

1141
00:55:45,280 --> 00:55:49,160
unexamined opinions about a very complex topic.

1142
00:55:49,160 --> 00:55:51,480
In this example,

1143
00:55:51,480 --> 00:55:53,600
the elements under question include -

1144
00:55:53,600 --> 00:55:58,680
•Point of view (how your unique perspective affected your conclusions)

1145
00:55:58,680 --> 00:55:58,720


1146
00:55:58,720 --> 00:56:03,840
•Information (whether you have sufficient knowledge to draw conclusions,

1147
00:56:03,840 --> 00:56:06,120
or are missing key pieces of information)

1148
00:56:06,120 --> 00:56:06,120


1149
00:56:06,120 --> 00:56:12,880
•Concepts (the popular “zero sum” model of cheap labor in developing

1150
00:56:12,880 --> 00:56:13,480
countries)

1151
00:56:13,480 --> 00:56:13,560


1152
00:56:13,560 --> 00:56:18,720
•Assumptions (An obvious one - that nobody really wants to work in a

1153
00:56:18,720 --> 00:56:19,320
sweatshop,

1154
00:56:19,320 --> 00:56:19,800
right?)

1155
00:56:19,800 --> 00:56:24,840
Intellectual standards can then be applied to these in turn -

1156
00:56:24,840 --> 00:56:30,600
•Depth and breadth could be applied to your point of view (i.e. is yours

1157
00:56:30,600 --> 00:56:32,640
really the only viable one?)

1158
00:56:32,640 --> 00:56:38,800
•You can use some standards for good information (Is it sufficient and high

1159
00:56:38,800 --> 00:56:39,400
quality?

1160
00:56:39,400 --> 00:56:41,280
Where did you get your opinion from?)

1161
00:56:41,280 --> 00:56:46,560
•You can apply the same standards you have for information to your concepts

1162
00:56:46,560 --> 00:56:49,080
(Is your model of sweatshops accurate?

1163
00:56:49,080 --> 00:56:53,320
Does it really reflect the reality this other person is sharing with you?)

1164
00:56:53,320 --> 00:56:59,040
•The standard of accuracy and significance can be applied to the assumptions

1165
00:56:59,040 --> 00:57:00,000
you’ve made (Simply,

1166
00:57:00,000 --> 00:57:01,280
are they true?

1167
00:57:01,280 --> 00:57:03,840
Have you been focusing on the wrong thing?)

1168
00:57:03,840 --> 00:57:09,280
All the above can be considered together with the critical thinking traits of

1169
00:57:09,280 --> 00:57:14,160
intellectual humility and fair-mindedness (i.e. considering the fact that

1170
00:57:14,160 --> 00:57:19,000
winning the argument is not worth offending and alienating your conversation

1171
00:57:19,000 --> 00:57:19,520
partner.)

1172
00:57:19,520 --> 00:57:24,800
Failing to understand the elements of your own thinking (your point of view,

1173
00:57:24,800 --> 00:57:25,600
the data you have,

1174
00:57:25,600 --> 00:57:26,560
the assumptions)

1175
00:57:26,560 --> 00:57:31,280
or work hard to improve their quality by applying intellectual standards

1176
00:57:31,280 --> 00:57:32,880
(asking about the logic,

1177
00:57:32,880 --> 00:57:33,640
veracity,

1178
00:57:33,640 --> 00:57:36,600
relevance and depth of your thought processes)

1179
00:57:36,600 --> 00:57:40,760
may have taken this conversation in a completely different direction.

1180
00:57:40,760 --> 00:57:43,560
It could have well turned into an argument,

1181
00:57:43,560 --> 00:57:48,200
especially if instead of challenging your assumptions and realizing you were

1182
00:57:48,200 --> 00:57:50,360
coming to conclusions off of incomplete data,

1183
00:57:50,360 --> 00:57:55,440
you assumed the other person was ignorant and it was your job to educate them.

1184
00:57:55,440 --> 00:58:01,440
Though you still think it’s not a good idea to buy “fast fashion,” you

1185
00:58:01,440 --> 00:58:04,360
have a more nuanced understanding of the issue than you did before.

1186
00:58:04,360 --> 00:58:06,720
Because of your critical thinking,

1187
00:58:06,720 --> 00:58:10,600
you learned something and improved your own intellectual abilities in the

1188
00:58:10,600 --> 00:58:11,040
process.

1189
00:58:11,040 --> 00:58:16,240
I’m sure you can agree that is more satisfying in the long run than the mere

1190
00:58:16,240 --> 00:58:18,400
feeling of having “won” the argument!

1191
00:58:18,400 --> 00:58:22,080
Let’s take a look at a more concrete example.

1192
00:58:22,080 --> 00:58:24,200
As a clothing manufacturer,

1193
00:58:24,200 --> 00:58:28,520
you’re interested in using a newly developed cotton polyester blend that will

1194
00:58:28,520 --> 00:58:30,240
be cheaper than your current fabric.

1195
00:58:30,240 --> 00:58:33,560
But you have concerns about its quality and how well it will work with your

1196
00:58:33,560 --> 00:58:34,240
machines,

1197
00:58:34,240 --> 00:58:38,640
so you do some trial runs with sample fabric to test its performance in the

1198
00:58:38,640 --> 00:58:39,080
factory.

1199
00:58:39,080 --> 00:58:40,800
Already,

1200
00:58:40,800 --> 00:58:45,200
you have worked to form a concept (an experiment to test the new fabric)

1201
00:58:45,200 --> 00:58:49,680
from which you intend to draw inferences (if it works in the experiment,

1202
00:58:49,680 --> 00:58:51,520
it will work on a larger scale)

1203
00:58:51,520 --> 00:58:54,880
for a stated purpose (to save money on fabric).

1204
00:58:54,880 --> 00:58:59,720
To all of these elements of reasoning you can then apply a few intellectual

1205
00:58:59,720 --> 00:59:00,440
standards.

1206
00:59:00,440 --> 00:59:04,640
You ask whether you’re being accurate in your measurement of the fabric

1207
00:59:04,640 --> 00:59:05,360
performance.

1208
00:59:05,360 --> 00:59:10,520
You ask whether the cost of the fabric is truly the only parameter to consider,

1209
00:59:10,520 --> 00:59:15,000
or whether other things you’re not thinking of could jeopardize your stated

1210
00:59:15,000 --> 00:59:15,600
aim (i.e.,

1211
00:59:15,600 --> 00:59:19,320
you apply questions of depth and breadth).

1212
00:59:19,320 --> 00:59:24,840
You notice that you want a particular outcome (you are aware of your own point

1213
00:59:24,840 --> 00:59:27,480
of view and see how this affects the questions you ask)

1214
00:59:27,480 --> 00:59:30,800
but try hard to conduct the experiment neutrally.

1215
00:59:30,800 --> 00:59:35,760
When the experiment shows that the new fabric gets jammed in one kind of sewing

1216
00:59:35,760 --> 00:59:36,240
machine,

1217
00:59:36,240 --> 00:59:41,240
you use logic to extrapolate to an appropriate conclusion - the fabric is

1218
00:59:41,240 --> 00:59:43,440
incompatible with one type of machine,

1219
00:59:43,440 --> 00:59:47,200
but that doesn’t logically follow that every type of machine will have the

1220
00:59:47,200 --> 00:59:48,080
same problem.

1221
00:59:48,080 --> 00:59:49,680
And so it goes.

1222
00:59:49,680 --> 00:59:51,720
Perhaps you notice,

1223
00:59:51,720 --> 00:59:52,000
however,

1224
00:59:52,000 --> 00:59:55,960
that not all of the standards have been applied here—for example,

1225
00:59:55,960 --> 00:59:57,840
the question of fairness is not considered,

1226
00:59:57,840 --> 01:00:02,520
and there is only a very narrow view of the question (lack of depth and

1227
01:00:02,520 --> 01:00:02,760
breadth),

1228
01:00:02,760 --> 01:00:05,760
with a very limited understanding of consequences.

1229
01:00:05,760 --> 01:00:08,800
The company may switch to the new fabric,

1230
01:00:08,800 --> 01:00:14,080
only to discover that it washes poorly and that customers are so unsatisfied

1231
01:00:14,080 --> 01:00:16,360
with it after purchase that within a few months,

1232
01:00:16,360 --> 01:00:19,120
repeat custom drops significantly,

1233
01:00:19,120 --> 01:00:23,480
completely cancelling out any small gains made in using the cheaper fabric.

1234
01:00:23,480 --> 01:00:23,640
Here,

1235
01:00:23,640 --> 01:00:27,840
a critical thinker would notice the problem,

1236
01:00:27,840 --> 01:00:32,520
update their mental model and make a point to remember this the next time they

1237
01:00:32,520 --> 01:00:34,480
face a decision similar to this one.

1238
01:00:34,480 --> 01:00:38,880
They would recognize that a few of their underlying premises were not

1239
01:00:38,880 --> 01:00:39,480
sound—i.e.,

1240
01:00:39,480 --> 01:00:44,600
the idea that the clothing cost and whether it worked with the machines were

1241
01:00:44,600 --> 01:00:46,520
the only parameters to consider.

1242
01:00:46,520 --> 01:00:53,160
Critical thinking can be applied on grand scales to big decisions like these,

1243
01:00:53,160 --> 01:00:57,880
or in smaller situations like the conversation we saw at the get-together.

1244
01:00:57,880 --> 01:01:01,880
You could apply critical thinking every time you use your brain—which,

1245
01:01:01,880 --> 01:01:02,760
luckily,

1246
01:01:02,760 --> 01:01:04,680
is pretty much continuously.

1247
01:01:04,680 --> 01:01:09,120
The first step is to become aware of the various elements of your thinking.

1248
01:01:09,120 --> 01:01:10,280
Your goals,

1249
01:01:10,280 --> 01:01:11,680
your limitations,

1250
01:01:11,680 --> 01:01:14,040
the “map” of reality you are using.

1251
01:01:14,040 --> 01:01:18,080
But the next step is to take responsibility for these elements,

1252
01:01:18,080 --> 01:01:21,560
and apply intellectual standards to improve them.

1253
01:01:21,560 --> 01:01:24,480
Is the way you’re thinking clear?

1254
01:01:24,480 --> 01:01:25,800
Logical?

1255
01:01:25,800 --> 01:01:26,760
Fair?

1256
01:01:26,760 --> 01:01:29,240
Are you focusing on the right things,

1257
01:01:29,240 --> 01:01:31,920
and have you properly understood your goal?

1258
01:01:31,920 --> 01:01:33,320
Eventually,

1259
01:01:33,320 --> 01:01:36,120
critical thinking becomes more automatic.

1260
01:01:36,120 --> 01:01:37,960
This doesn’t mean that you are never wrong,

1261
01:01:37,960 --> 01:01:41,640
or that you suddenly become a super-intelligent mega-mind.

1262
01:01:41,640 --> 01:01:41,880
Rather,

1263
01:01:41,880 --> 01:01:47,160
you are taking conscious control of your own mental and intellectual machinery,

1264
01:01:47,160 --> 01:01:49,960
and using it to its highest potential.

1265
01:01:49,960 --> 01:01:52,240
You may still be wrong,

1266
01:01:52,240 --> 01:01:57,880
you may still feel confused and you may still miss or misunderstand huge

1267
01:01:57,880 --> 01:01:59,200
amounts of information out there,

1268
01:01:59,200 --> 01:02:01,960
even though you explicitly try not to.

1269
01:02:01,960 --> 01:02:03,040
However,

1270
01:02:03,040 --> 01:02:07,640
making mistakes for a critical thinker is not a problem—it’s merely more

1271
01:02:07,640 --> 01:02:11,720
“grist for the mill,” and can be fed back in and processed again,

1272
01:02:11,720 --> 01:02:15,440
this time with the privilege of having updated your concepts,

1273
01:02:15,440 --> 01:02:18,680
sharpened your goals and verified your claims.

1274
01:02:18,680 --> 01:02:20,200
In essence,

1275
01:02:20,200 --> 01:02:23,040
critical thinking is not really about what you think,

1276
01:02:23,040 --> 01:02:25,840
but rather how you’re thinking about it.

1277
01:02:25,840 --> 01:02:29,040
Focus on improving the quality of the process,

1278
01:02:29,040 --> 01:02:33,240
and the content of your thoughts will naturally improve as well.

1279
01:02:33,240 --> 01:02:36,960
Takeaways -

1280
01:02:36,960 --> 01:02:41,480
•Practical intelligence is another way of saying common sense,

1281
01:02:41,480 --> 01:02:45,280
but we all know that common sense truly is not so common.

1282
01:02:45,280 --> 01:02:50,280
One of the key lessons to learn with practical intelligence is that nothing is

1283
01:02:50,280 --> 01:02:52,360
what it seems at first glance.

1284
01:02:52,360 --> 01:02:55,920
The world doesn’t readily reveal itself nakedly to you,

1285
01:02:55,920 --> 01:03:00,600
so it’s up to you to look beneath the surface to understand what you see.

1286
01:03:00,600 --> 01:03:02,680
We want to do this,

1287
01:03:02,680 --> 01:03:07,560
but we are too often driven by certainty and speed instead of actual truth.

1288
01:03:07,560 --> 01:03:13,560
•The first and most natural way to probe below the surface is through

1289
01:03:13,560 --> 01:03:14,880
cultivating curiosity.

1290
01:03:14,880 --> 01:03:17,160
There are five types of curiosity,

1291
01:03:17,160 --> 01:03:22,080
each of which can be said to be a motivation for asking questions - joyous

1292
01:03:22,080 --> 01:03:22,720
exploration,

1293
01:03:22,720 --> 01:03:24,800
deprivation sensitivity,

1294
01:03:24,800 --> 01:03:26,240
stress tolerance,

1295
01:03:26,240 --> 01:03:27,920
social curiosity,

1296
01:03:27,920 --> 01:03:29,160
and thrill-seeking.

1297
01:03:29,160 --> 01:03:30,080
However,

1298
01:03:30,080 --> 01:03:33,280
curiosity will rarely come easily or naturally,

1299
01:03:33,280 --> 01:03:36,800
especially about things that we don’t have an innate interest in.

1300
01:03:36,800 --> 01:03:40,760
So we need to generate that same approach through other methods.

1301
01:03:40,760 --> 01:03:47,200
•One methodical way to seek truth and simulate curiosity is by embracing

1302
01:03:47,200 --> 01:03:48,040
skepticism.

1303
01:03:48,040 --> 01:03:48,280
No,

1304
01:03:48,280 --> 01:03:53,760
it’s not about being cynical or simply refusing to believe what people tell

1305
01:03:53,760 --> 01:03:54,040
you.

1306
01:03:54,040 --> 01:03:54,880
Rather,

1307
01:03:54,880 --> 01:03:58,280
it’s refusing to blindly believe what people tell you,

1308
01:03:58,280 --> 01:04:00,320
and requiring evidence and facts.

1309
01:04:00,320 --> 01:04:01,440
In this way,

1310
01:04:01,440 --> 01:04:05,960
a skeptic is quite similar to a scientist utilizing the scientific method.

1311
01:04:05,960 --> 01:04:08,560
No answer is required here,

1312
01:04:08,560 --> 01:04:10,760
and only understanding is sought.

1313
01:04:10,760 --> 01:04:16,080
Skepticism requires slowing down your thoughts and thinking like a scientist.

1314
01:04:16,080 --> 01:04:18,480
•Finally,

1315
01:04:18,480 --> 01:04:20,080
we come to critical thinking.

1316
01:04:20,080 --> 01:04:25,200
Critical thinking is concerned with questioning answers rather than asking

1317
01:04:25,200 --> 01:04:25,800
questions.

1318
01:04:25,800 --> 01:04:30,920
It seeks to take nothing at face value and provide a three-dimensional and

1319
01:04:30,920 --> 01:04:33,240
nuanced view of a topic or stance.

1320
01:04:33,240 --> 01:04:34,440
Without that,

1321
01:04:34,440 --> 01:04:39,400
you are by definition jumping to conclusions or relying on someone else’s

1322
01:04:39,400 --> 01:04:42,920
word—an opinion without inquiry is a weak one.

1323
01:04:42,920 --> 01:04:47,080
We can practice critical thinking through a series of questions,

1324
01:04:47,080 --> 01:04:52,080
but we can also go a level deeper by running inquiries and thoughts through the

1325
01:04:52,080 --> 01:04:54,680
Paul-Elder framework of critical thinking.

1326
01:04:54,680 --> 01:04:59,560
This involves three components that ultimately work together to build a

1327
01:04:59,560 --> 01:05:02,360
bulletproof thinking process - (1)

1328
01:05:02,360 --> 01:05:04,280
elements of thought and reasoning,

1329
01:05:04,280 --> 01:05:04,600
(2)

1330
01:05:04,600 --> 01:05:08,840
intellectual standards to be applied to these elements,

1331
01:05:08,840 --> 01:05:09,960
and (3)

1332
01:05:09,960 --> 01:05:14,760
the cultivation and eventual development of intellectual traits.

1333
01:05:14,760 --> 01:05:19,520
This has been

1334
01:05:19,520 --> 01:05:21,280
Practical Intelligence:

1335
01:05:21,280 --> 01:05:22,680
How to Think Critically,

1336
01:05:22,680 --> 01:05:24,600
Deconstruct Situations,

1337
01:05:24,600 --> 01:05:25,800
Analyze Deeply,

1338
01:05:25,800 --> 01:05:40,440
and Never Be Fooled By Patrick King,  narrated by russell newton.