Critical thinking is one of the most cited skills in education and employment, and yet it is one of the least explicitly taught. In this video, I break down what critical thinking actually is at a neurological level, why the brain actively resists it, what impairs the prefrontal cortex's ability to reason well, and six specific techniques - steelmanning, pre-mortem analysis, Bayesian reasoning, seeking disconfirming evidence, written argument mapping, and the "what would change my mind?" discipline - that build it as a genuine cognitive habit. Plus the conditions your brain actually needs to think critically, and why trying to think rigorously when sleep-deprived or stressed is neurologically self-defeating. This is the video on critical thinking that actually tells you what to do. But make sure you consider all the points before actioning them ;) ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 0:58 - what critical thinking is 1:51 - what critical thinking is not 2:21 - System 1 and System 2 thinking 3:20 - you aren’t designed for critical thinking 5:05 - the context of thinking is just as important 7:04 - 6 techniques to improve critical thinking 14:35 - how to practise critical thinking 16:23 - the takeaway 📚 RESEARCH REFERENCED Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow Tetlock, P. & Gardner, D. (2015). Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction Nickerson, R. (1998). Confirmation Bias: A Ubiquitous Phenomenon in Many Guises. Review of General Psychology Mitchell, D. et al. (1989). Improving the Accuracy of Forecasts — Pre-mortem research Stanovich, K. (2009). What Intelligence Tests Miss: The Psychology of Rational Thought ________________ Hey! I’m Erin Meryl, a second year Land Economy student at the University of Cambridge. On this channel, I share evidence-based study strategies and productivity workflows to help you navigate student life without the burnout. Don't forget to Subscribe and hit the bell to join the community! 🧠 Deepen Your Focus If you enjoyed this video, I dive even deeper into the science of learning and productivity across these platforms: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@erinmerylstudy - Daily learning tips, quick study hacks, and behind-the-scenes of my life as a Cambridge student. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erinmerylstudy - Student life at Cambridge mixed in with neuroscience, productivity, and high-performance habits. Substack: erinmerylstudy.substack.com - In-depth guides on the tools and systems I use to stay organised, as well as some of my thoughts on life more generally! Personal Website: erinmerylstudy.com 📬 Let’s Connect I love hearing from you! Whether you have a question about a study method or just want to say hi, feel free to reach out. I am also available for speaking and collabs regarding productivity, neuroscience, and student life. Collaboration & Speaking Inquiries: [email protected] General Contact: [email protected]
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Thank you. And I completely agree, without any doubt, that pineapple belongs on pizza!
As a member of an anarchist collective for years that depends on unanimous and/or consensus decision making, and collective writing of theory and agitprop etc, I realized point by point that it has been a great workshop to exercise your points, based only on transferred experience and real-time collective problem solving. Nice video, followed for more!
Me thinking critically for a valid argument against pineapple on pizza only to remember, tomatos are a fruit, one of the base ingredients for pizza is tomato sauce. Pineapple is nontoxic even when mixed with pizza ingredients. . . Why have I been so hung up on this 🤬 for so long? I'm so 🤬 STUPID!
You might like street epistemology a lotz if not already familiar. Lots of great content here, subbed!
Sounds like I would first need to fall into a kind of hell to develop critical thinking ability. In heaven, sky walking, we just combine thought and feeling intuitively. (INFJ, but ENTP when stressed, so is this when I attempt critical thinking inadvertently invoking the darkness into being?). In critical thinking I’d need to make an effort to think up negative perspectives, potentially defeating my loving vibe? Pigeons fly in front of my windscreen when I need to have caution about a vehicle I will encounter. It’s beautiful, magical even, but birds are good at warning calls, so assume all need a warning call?
Excuse me, but the necklace you're wearing clearly indicates that you haven't been using these techniques.
4.30 or so ; backfire effect? Not Cognitive Dissonance ( Festinger )?
Thanks! 💙💙💙
You: can you think? Me:I come from a very long line of thinkers that we call ourselves the thinkerists only we can call ourselves that. I am the only one in this world who can think like this. [Says the man who is trying to hard to prove that he can think] You: looks like you cant think. [me shouting at the top of my lounge and pointing my finger at you to make a point] Me: YES I CAN SHUT UP OK I CAN THINK OK THINKING is a big part of my life i am a thinkerists. You'll never be a thinkerists like me. I don't have anything to prove to you. I can think ok stop asking me.
You look quite nice with your hair like that.
It hasn't been proved that the brain actually does any "processing" that is driven by conscious intent.
Andrew Huberman would've been proud of you
am I crazy or are her eyes slightly different colors?
Happily, I believe I am mostly inoculated against AI rizzing me with flatteries. Initially, it was quite alarming and weirdly satisfying and validating when I began experimenting with AI. As I tested AI in creative works, I noticed the pattern that “i piss unicorn love and fart roses” (metaphor). I went through weeks of testing AI, being frustrated by AI through the point of screaming at my computer. Happily, I govern my own attitude and usage of AI, only giving it the “age appropriate task”.
What you are trying to say here is subjective thinking, but not critical thinking because only subjective thinking about the same thing can vary from person to to person, and your personal narrow point of view is usually influenced or shaped by social validation], and thus it can changed by other people Critical thinking is founded on tangible and indisputable facts without any interpretation by other people, and thus they cannot be differently interpreted. Ex, the Sun rises in the East, and sets in the West.
Patience is a best learner. Practice is a best teacher. Wait, watch ,learn ,once u see patterns. practice what u want to master. "Practice makes man perfect"😊
Thank you! ☺
Some people (even ones I agree with) can be entrenched paradigms of oppositional bias without logic or desire to find what is beneficial to progress that they can undermine their own interest with entrenched bias even when coming from a valid standpoint. It can be hard to consider taking the time to really evaluate and speak to bias when it may cause further entrenchment. What I do instead sometimes is to critically think without challenging those instances but bringing the thoughts in when the environment is open to them. To be on peoples side (or even your own) it's often necessary to accept or validate the possibility of not being fully correct and that mistakes are potentially being made and that nothing is infallible. This is why science always changes. Rules which don't align with what is logically provable are changed to fit the best working model. Not just accepting the idea that it's possible to wrong some of the time but to know you are potentially always going to be wrong because everything is subject to change. I think to make a good argument ideas have to come without reenforcing defensive bias and disconnect from associations that trigger bias and those that don't are less productive and that presenting an argument or information which would otherwise be rejected is often useful via masking it. At times I may use allegory and metaphor as it is hard to argue with a point that's not stating as a truth or belief or to be about the person being spoken to or the idea being spoken of when it can still apply to the same pathology. Notably this can be misused. I think coming at the topics from standpoints that do not create conflict and argument or and avoid causing people to fall into animalistic fight or flight responses and avoid conflict are more useful. Methods like those found on this channel. Teach people in the right way and they might not even notice they are growing and learning to break habits that may be destructive to themselves or others. I think for those who want to increase their ability to critically think one simple thing is to simply reduce stress and be aware of what may be causing stress around them and around the ideas they may hold. If overt stress presents around ideas you want to hold more clearly it is logical that stress is obstructive to that clarity and should be removed if logical examination is desired. At times this means moving away from what reduces your clarity. If those stressors always exist around something you believe it's worth considering if that is not productive to your ability to be logical about whether these beliefs are accurate. I would say that it is notable that productive critical thinking or conversations has no necessity of being a stressful experience. I can't think of an environment of high stress that actually promoted learning rather than those that minimize stress and manage it when it occurs. All of the productive relationships and conversations I've ever had involved all parties being open to discussion and exchange and thoughtful engagement. I can't think of other relationships that actually work or create productive change. I don't think there is anyone immune to bias no matter how educated or intelligent, so none of this is meant as a criticism to anyone. It's just a human behavior that we do not always avoid and can fall into from any position. Great information here. I notice that some of the best politicians I can think of often use "steel-manning". They'll argue for the other person as hard as they can before stating their own position without being manipulative. Also planning for failure is a known exercise to help with creating successful planning. Very oppositional to the manifestation trends which undermine people in ways that initially make them feel secure but often set them up for failure. Technique number 5 feels similar in that it is a reversal of bias but introduces slowing down. Number 6 goes back to the idea that nothing is infallible. The more you question your belief the less possible it is to have conviction. In order to question convictions with number 6 it is important to understand that this is an exercise that includes absolutely any idea. The ideas themselves could necessitate fundamentally changing the laws of reality as you know them and be part of the exercise. Nothing should be off limits. Noting it is a social credit to admit when you are wrong is such a great thing to point out. It's hard, but where you end up being willing to admit fault? This is often a better place than people believe. Lastly I just want to say thankyou for making videos like these. Sincerely.
Amazing video, Erin. I studied critical thinking comprehensively im university, and the political climate nowadays is an abomination because no one uses it! It's bizarre to see it from this perspective because irrationality has gone completely rampant, and a lot of peoples toxic beliefs would fall apart under simple CT method lol.
I strongly agree this is an interesting topic