Section 2: Evaluating Arguments and Evidence

1. Principle of Charity
Example:
❌ "You oppose taxes? You must hate schools!"
✅ "You believe lower taxes boost the economy—let's examine that.

A: Presenting the strongest version of an opponent's argument before critiquing it.

2. Confirmation Bias
Example: Believing a diet works despite studies showing otherwise.

A: Only accepting evidence that supports your existing beliefs.

3. Cognitive Biases
Example: Knowing glass floors are safe but still feeling fear.

A: Systematic errors in thinking caused by the brain's tendency to simplify information processing.

4. Aliefs
Example: Knowing glass floors are safe but still feeling fear.

Gut reaction that contradicts your beliefs.

5. Availability Heuristic

• Example: Overestimating shark attacks after watching Jaws.

A: Judging likelihood based on how easily examples come to mind.

6. Algorithm Bubbles

• Example: Your feed only shows one political party's posts because you've liked them before.

A: When social media only shows you content that aligns with your views.

7. Statistical Generalization
Example : "Married men live longer" may reflect self-selection bias (healthier men marry), not causation.

A:
1⃣ Randomness (every member has equal chance of selection)
2⃣ Representativeness (sample mirrors population diversity)

8. Selection Bias
Example: "90% of patients improved!" (Hiding that 90% were already mild cases)

A: Highlighting only data that supports a desired conclusion.

9. Selective Reporting

Example:
"90% recover from colds" vs. "90% on our drug recover."

A:Highlighting only data that supports a desired conclusion

10. System 1 vs. System 2 Thinking

Q: When should you slow down your thinking?

System 1 Example: Catching a falling cup reflexively.

A: Use System 2 (deliberate) for big decisions (investments, ethics).

11. Source Reliability
Q: How to spot untrustworthy info?

A: Check:
🔎 Author credentials
🔎 Citations/evidence
🔎 Financial/political motives

12. Echo Chambers
Example: Only following news sources that share your political views.

A: Environment where you only hear opinions that reinforce your own

13. Deepfake Detection

• Example: A fake video of a politician saying something they never said.

A: AI-manipulated media that falsifies reality.

14. Motivated Reasoning

• Example: "My favorite politician couldn’t have lied—the video must be fake!"

A: Twisting facts to fit what you want to believe

15. Correlation ≠ Causation

Q: Why does "ice cream sales → drownings" mislead?

A: Both link to heat (hidden variable).

16. Sunk Cost Fallacy

• Example: "I’ve watched 5 bad seasons—I have to finish this show!"

A: Continuing a failing endeavor because of past investments.

17. False Dilemma

• Example: "You're either with us or against us!" (Ignoring middle ground.)

A: Presenting only two extreme options when more exist.

18. Occam’s Razor
Example: "My WiFi is down? Probably a router issue, not a hacker”

A: The simplest sufficient explanation is often right.

System 1 Thinking
Example: Jerking your hand back from a hot stove.

A: Fast, automatic, emotional thinking.

System 2 Thinking

Example: Calculating the best mortgage rate.

A: Slow, effortful, logical thinking.