[Applause] so I raised my hand in class puzzled by
so I raised my hand in class puzzled by
so I raised my hand in class puzzled by what I had just heard but didn’t God
what I had just heard but didn’t God
what I had just heard but didn’t God create the world six thousand years ago
that was me in fifth grade growing up in
that was me in fifth grade growing up in a Christian sect made sure I had a few
a Christian sect made sure I had a few
a Christian sect made sure I had a few beliefs that was in conflict with basic
beliefs that was in conflict with basic
beliefs that was in conflict with basic facts like dinosaurs actually existed in
facts like dinosaurs actually existed in
facts like dinosaurs actually existed in my late teens a lot of Pierre started
my late teens a lot of Pierre started
my late teens a lot of Pierre started challenging me on my views about the age
challenging me on my views about the age
challenging me on my views about the age of the earth so I had to find out for
of the earth so I had to find out for
of the earth so I had to find out for myself I went home I googled something
myself I went home I googled something
myself I went home I googled something to the effect of evolution is life this
to the effect of evolution is life this
to the effect of evolution is life this is known as the confirmation bias or
is known as the confirmation bias or
is known as the confirmation bias or brains automatic tendency to only look
brains automatic tendency to only look
brains automatic tendency to only look for information which we already agree
for information which we already agree
for information which we already agree with this is why most people never buy
with this is why most people never buy
with this is why most people never buy books with opposing viewpoints so no one
books with opposing viewpoints so no one
books with opposing viewpoints so no one seems to agree on how many there are but
seems to agree on how many there are but
seems to agree on how many there are but on Wikipedia they have a list of 166
on Wikipedia they have a list of 166
on Wikipedia they have a list of 166 ways our brains make us think in rather
ways our brains make us think in rather
ways our brains make us think in rather illogical ways we call them cognitive
illogical ways we call them cognitive
illogical ways we call them cognitive biases and we all have them except you
biases and we all have them except you
biases and we all have them except you of course
of course
of course you’re not like me you’re always
you’re not like me you’re always
you’re not like me you’re always rational as a matter of fact this talk
rational as a matter of fact this talk
rational as a matter of fact this talk is not even for you it’s run literally
is not even for you it’s run literally
is not even for you it’s run literally everyone else so most philosophers used
everyone else so most philosophers used
everyone else so most philosophers used to think that we were fundamentally
to think that we were fundamentally
to think that we were fundamentally rational but today it’s a different
rational but today it’s a different
rational but today it’s a different story
story
story especially the work in social science by
especially the work in social science by
especially the work in social science by Jonathan Heights and Nobel laureate
Jonathan Heights and Nobel laureate
Jonathan Heights and Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman suggests we make all our
Daniel Kahneman suggests we make all our
Daniel Kahneman suggests we make all our opinions on an instinctual emotional
opinions on an instinctual emotional
opinions on an instinctual emotional level first and then try to justify them
level first and then try to justify them
level first and then try to justify them rationally after the fact so let me
rationally after the fact so let me
rationally after the fact so let me explain with an example let’s say you’re
explain with an example let’s say you’re
explain with an example let’s say you’re on a diet then suddenly you really feel
on a diet then suddenly you really feel
on a diet then suddenly you really feel like eating ice cream chances are your
like eating ice cream chances are your
like eating ice cream chances are your brain will help you find a few pretty
brain will help you find a few pretty
brain will help you find a few pretty good reasons you can have just a tiny
good reasons you can have just a tiny
good reasons you can have just a tiny bit of ice cream the problem appears
bit of ice cream the problem appears
bit of ice cream the problem appears when you think you’re being rational but
when you think you’re being rational but
when you think you’re being rational but in reality you have already decided on
in reality you have already decided on
in reality you have already decided on an emotional level that you would like
an emotional level that you would like
an emotional level that you would like some ice cream and at this point you
some ice cream and at this point you
some ice cream and at this point you just try to make yourself feel better
just try to make yourself feel better
just try to make yourself feel better so picture it like this you are like a
so picture it like this you are like a
so picture it like this you are like a judge in a courtroom the voice in your
judge in a courtroom the voice in your
judge in a courtroom the voice in your head is like a prosecutor in this case
head is like a prosecutor in this case
head is like a prosecutor in this case the judge really wants some ice cream so
the judge really wants some ice cream so
the judge really wants some ice cream so the prosecutor gives the judge all the
the prosecutor gives the judge all the
the prosecutor gives the judge all the reasons he can have just a little bit of
reasons he can have just a little bit of
reasons he can have just a little bit of ice cream and the judge decides to eat
ice cream and the judge decides to eat
ice cream and the judge decides to eat the ice cream thinking that he made a
the ice cream thinking that he made a
the ice cream thinking that he made a pretty rational choice and we do stupid
pretty rational choice and we do stupid
pretty rational choice and we do stupid stuff like this all the time
but a lot of the time however wired to
but a lot of the time however wired to act is not in line with basic moral
act is not in line with basic moral
act is not in line with basic moral principles in an out-group bias makes us
principles in an out-group bias makes us
principles in an out-group bias makes us divide people into groups France enemies
divide people into groups France enemies
divide people into groups France enemies these groups can be based on ethnicity
these groups can be based on ethnicity
these groups can be based on ethnicity religion political affiliation
religion political affiliation
religion political affiliation nationality and at our very worst out
nationality and at our very worst out
nationality and at our very worst out group bias makes us treat people from
group bias makes us treat people from
group bias makes us treat people from other groups as less human than us and
other groups as less human than us and
other groups as less human than us and more like animals can you imagine the
more like animals can you imagine the
more like animals can you imagine the consequences of unknowingly dehumanizing
consequences of unknowingly dehumanizing
consequences of unknowingly dehumanizing people while simultaneously believing
people while simultaneously believing
people while simultaneously believing you’re a good rational person you don’t
you’re a good rational person you don’t
you’re a good rational person you don’t have to because they’re all throughout
have to because they’re all throughout
have to because they’re all throughout history most southern Americans used to
history most southern Americans used to
history most southern Americans used to be fine with slavery
most Germans loved Hitler so how do you
most Germans loved Hitler so how do you know for sure that you’re not in any way
know for sure that you’re not in any way
know for sure that you’re not in any way on the wrong side of history and where
on the wrong side of history and where
on the wrong side of history and where the majority have been for as long as we
the majority have been for as long as we
the majority have been for as long as we can remember
these are big issues so how do we solve
these are big issues so how do we solve them critical thinking so as you know I
them critical thinking so as you know I
them critical thinking so as you know I believed in a lot of insane stuff quite
believed in a lot of insane stuff quite
believed in a lot of insane stuff quite obviously actually after leaving my
obviously actually after leaving my
obviously actually after leaving my religion I started mindlessly
religion I started mindlessly
religion I started mindlessly mindlessly accepting outlandish
mindlessly accepting outlandish
mindlessly accepting outlandish conspiracy theories like the one where
conspiracy theories like the one where
conspiracy theories like the one where the world is secretly run by
the world is secretly run by
the world is secretly run by interdimensional lizards yeah I was that
interdimensional lizards yeah I was that
interdimensional lizards yeah I was that guy
but that all changed when I started
but that all changed when I started studying philosophy and I began on a
studying philosophy and I began on a
studying philosophy and I began on a journey of systematically reviewing all
journey of systematically reviewing all
journey of systematically reviewing all my beliefs to eliminate the ones that
my beliefs to eliminate the ones that
my beliefs to eliminate the ones that were false immoral or just you know
were false immoral or just you know
were false immoral or just you know plain stupid
plain stupid
plain stupid but how I mean I mean because it feels
but how I mean I mean because it feels
but how I mean I mean because it feels like I come quite a long way but I mean
like I come quite a long way but I mean
like I come quite a long way but I mean how do I know let’s again revisit the
how do I know let’s again revisit the
how do I know let’s again revisit the court case metaphor so you are the judge
court case metaphor so you are the judge
court case metaphor so you are the judge the voice in your head is the prosecutor
the voice in your head is the prosecutor
the voice in your head is the prosecutor what’s missing in an actual court they
what’s missing in an actual court they
what’s missing in an actual court they have a third person called the defendant
have a third person called the defendant
have a third person called the defendant her job is to argue with the prosecutor
her job is to argue with the prosecutor
her job is to argue with the prosecutor why because they know people can be
why because they know people can be
why because they know people can be falsely prosecuted if the judge only
falsely prosecuted if the judge only
falsely prosecuted if the judge only hears one side of the case and to me the
hears one side of the case and to me the
hears one side of the case and to me the essence of critical thinking it’s just
essence of critical thinking it’s just
essence of critical thinking it’s just that to argue with yourself so for
that to argue with yourself so for
that to argue with yourself so for example the next time you are on a diet
example the next time you are on a diet
example the next time you are on a diet and you would really like some ice cream
and you would really like some ice cream
and you would really like some ice cream just tell yourself all the reasons you
just tell yourself all the reasons you
just tell yourself all the reasons you shouldn’t have that ice cream and then I
shouldn’t have that ice cream and then I
shouldn’t have that ice cream and then I mean probably you end up doing a better
mean probably you end up doing a better
mean probably you end up doing a better choice at during the next week
choice at during the next week
choice at during the next week you’ll probably stumble over some stupid
you’ll probably stumble over some stupid
you’ll probably stumble over some stupid opinion you totally disagree with but
opinion you totally disagree with but
opinion you totally disagree with but instead of doing what you’re wired to do
instead of doing what you’re wired to do
instead of doing what you’re wired to do I wanted to do the opposite know that
I wanted to do the opposite know that
I wanted to do the opposite know that every almost every opinion has been
every almost every opinion has been
every almost every opinion has been stupid at one point so try to disprove
stupid at one point so try to disprove
stupid at one point so try to disprove yourself because you might not be right
yourself because you might not be right
yourself because you might not be right about everything
about everything
about everything so why is this important
it’s easy to see everyone else’s
it’s easy to see everyone else’s mistakes not so easy to view your own
mistakes not so easy to view your own
mistakes not so easy to view your own mistakes objectively critical thinking
mistakes objectively critical thinking
mistakes objectively critical thinking is a great solution for that problem it
is a great solution for that problem it
is a great solution for that problem it will definitely help you with decision
will definitely help you with decision
will definitely help you with decision making in the most important areas of
making in the most important areas of
making in the most important areas of your life like money health career
your life like money health career
your life like money health career relationships but most importantly I
relationships but most importantly I
relationships but most importantly I believe this is the next step in human
believe this is the next step in human
believe this is the next step in human evolution we have learned more about the
evolution we have learned more about the
evolution we have learned more about the brain for the last ten years than
brain for the last ten years than
brain for the last ten years than through all of history combined and it
through all of history combined and it
through all of history combined and it seems that even though we’re definitely
seems that even though we’re definitely
seems that even though we’re definitely smarter than Apes we don’t always behave
smarter than Apes we don’t always behave
smarter than Apes we don’t always behave that way they form tribes and fight each
that way they form tribes and fight each
that way they form tribes and fight each other we divide ourselves up into
other we divide ourselves up into
other we divide ourselves up into fictitious groups based on nationality
fictitious groups based on nationality
fictitious groups based on nationality ethnicity political affiliation and well
ethnicity political affiliation and well
ethnicity political affiliation and well fight each other but we have the ability
fight each other but we have the ability
fight each other but we have the ability to overpower our animalistic instincts
to overpower our animalistic instincts
to overpower our animalistic instincts with reasoning and going into this new
with reasoning and going into this new
with reasoning and going into this new digital age I believe it is essential
digital age I believe it is essential
digital age I believe it is essential that we do it we’re facing a ton of
that we do it we’re facing a ton of
that we do it we’re facing a ton of challenges and we might disagree on what
challenges and we might disagree on what
challenges and we might disagree on what they are but my big promise is that
they are but my big promise is that
they are but my big promise is that implementing this idea will make both
implementing this idea will make both
implementing this idea will make both naming and solving all of these problems
naming and solving all of these problems
naming and solving all of these problems a lot easier so let’s do it
a lot easier so let’s do it
a lot easier so let’s do it let us override our instincts in order
let us override our instincts in order
let us override our instincts in order to become better human beasts it is
to become better human beasts it is
to become better human beasts it is essential if we want to create a better
essential if we want to create a better
essential if we want to create a better tomorrow thank you
tomorrow thank you
tomorrow thank you [Applause]
”
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