10+ Best Articles on Critical Thinking
The most useful articles on critical thinking from around the web—beginners to advanced—curated by thought leaders and our community. We focus on timeless pieces and update the list whenever we discover new, must-read articles or videos—make sure to bookmark and revisit this page.
Top 5 Critical Thinking Articles
At a glance: these are the articles that have been most read, shared, and saved on critical thinking by Refind users in 2023 so far.
- Theory of mind: What chess and drug dealers can teach you about manipulation
- Top 25 Interesting Ideas and Concepts Everyone Should Know
- Old thinking will break your brain.
- Availability bias: the tendency to use information that easily comes to mind
- We don’t have a hundred biases, we have the wrong model
How to ...?
How to have better arguments
Arguing well isn’t just about winning. A philosophical approach will help you and the other person get much more out of it
«the one who loses in a philosophical dispute gains more the more he learns»
How to Improve Critical Thinking
The way we're taught critical thinking is terrible. Here's a different strategy to improving your ability to think clearly and make smart decisions.
Trending
These links are currently making the rounds on critical thinking on Refind.
Via Negativa: The Power of Knowing What Not to Do
A reflection on the powerful decision-making strategy of via negativa and what it has in common with exploding whales and inner daemons.
Short Articles
Short on time? Check out these useful short articles on critical thinking—all under 10 minutes.
How to Ask Good Questions: 5 Ways to Discover the Truth
An exploration of the power of good questions and five ways to ask them. From Story-eliciting Questions to the Columbo Method.
«As opposed to closed ones, open questions are much more likely to receive an elaborate answer. At least, that’s the rationale behind asking them.»
Theory of mind: What chess and drug dealers can teach you about manipulation
From grandmasters to drug dealers, people who make deft use of "theory of mind" can remain several steps ahead of their rivals.
«Every social interaction is a game of chess, trying to get inside someone’s head to navigate what they are thinking or what they will do.»
Cognitive biases and brain biology help explain why facts don’t change minds
Here are some reasons for the natural human tendency to avoid or reject new information that runs counter to what you already know – and some tips on how to do better.
«confirmation bias. It’s the natural tendency to seek out information or interpret things in a way that supports your existing beliefs.»
Availability bias: the tendency to use information that easily comes to mind
As humans, our ability to make the right decisions is limited by the many constraints of our mind. One such constraint is the availability bias, our tendency to make judgments based on previous…
«When some piece of information is easily brought to mind, we incorrectly assume that it’s an accurate reflection of reality. This cognitive bias often leads to the illusion of rational thinking and, ultimately, to bad decisions.»
How Your Brain Fills in the Blanks with Experience
Our neurocircuitry is profoundly shaped by a lifetime of learning.
«differences in perspective»
Long Articles
These are some of the most-read long-form articles on critical thinking.
Top 25 Interesting Ideas and Concepts Everyone Should Know
A collection of the most interesting ideas on critical thinking, philosophy and storytelling to help you make better sense of the world.
«ANCHORING I’m about to ruin your day. A negotiation tactic that exploits the human tendency to make adjustments from our first point of reference.»
Evaluating Information: Find the Signal in the Noise
Richard Feynman offers a list of seven tricks that you can use to quickly sort important from irrelevant information and focus on what matters.
«Tests to determine whether people who go on the day that they are not supposed to go are worse off or not have never been made by the astrologers.»
We don’t have a hundred biases, we have the wrong model
Behavioral economics has identified dozens of cognitive biases that stop us from acting 'rationally'. But instead of building up a messier and messier picture of human behavior, we need a new model.
Old thinking will break your brain.
Why updating the way we look at the world is so critical now, and so hard, and how we can get better at doing it.
Why is Critical Thinking Important in Daily Life?
Critical thinking is vital in our daily lives because it allows us to spot what we don't know and thus helps us make better decisions.
Publications
We monitor hundreds of publications, blogs, newsletters, and news sources in Critical Thinking, including:
Aeon+Psyche
Aeon is a magazine of ideas and culture. Psyche is our sister magazine focused on the human condition. Visit http://aeon.co and http://psyche.co for more.
Big Think
Learn from the world’s greatest thinkers. Join us on https://www.youtube.com/c/bigthink.
TeachThought
Innovation in education through the growth of #teachers. PD at https://www.wegrowteachers.com; Courses and ad-free reading at https://teachthought.university
Ness Labs
The learning community for ambitious knowledge workers. Join us to think better, learn faster, and work happier: http://nesslabs.com/membership 🧠✨
Nautilus Magazine
Cutting-edge science, unraveled in award-winning journalism by the very brightest living thinkers. Click to subscribe to the magazine and newsletter.
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