Critical thinking skills will often determine your success in school, work, and life. The prevalence of misinformation and information overload makes it so important to develop a mindset that focuses on critical thinking.
I love hearing a good conspiracy theory. And, apparently I’m in good company with the majority of other people. However, I mainly love these far-fetched theories because they are, by and large, ridiculous. And therefore…entertaining. But in our society of uncertainty and frequent tragedies, people tend to look for ways to make sense of devastating … Read more
If I were to ask you what the cost of living will be in Canada in March of next year, the first thing you may think to ask back is what the cost of living in Canada is today. Then, based on that number, you would probably make an assumption about how (or if) that … Read more
Did you participate in the celebrated ice bucket challenge of 2014? If so, do you remember what it was for? And if you do, do you know what “ALS” stands for? If you did participate in the ice bucket challenge, you probably felt like you were doing something for a good cause. However, if you’re … Read more
When I was in high school, I had to participate in a debate with a classmate on the topic of whether or not the drinking age should be pushed from 21 to 18. I was assigned to argue that it should be 18 and she argued that it should stay 21. I initially thought this … Read more
If you’re job hunting, you’re certainly not alone. And if you are fresh out of college, you may be having a tough time competing in a job market with others who have extensive experience in your chosen field. This is where a major frustration comes into trying to land a job. Often, companies will say … Read more
If you’re trying to prove something is true, what is the first thing you look for? I think it’s fair that most people would say that evidence or facts is where they start when searching for the truth. But, if you can’t find any evidence, where do you go next? You may give up and … Read more
We all make assumptions. Making assumptions is a way to save brain power, as we can simply put patterns together of human behavior or other phenomena based on our past experiences. Doing so helps us make sense of the world as we encounter new people or situations. And while making assumptions isn’t always a bad … Read more
If you work hard day in and day out and always strive to put your best foot forward at anything you’re doing, you will probably be surprised to know that your brain…is lazy. On the other hand, if you’re familiar with the “exercise paradox” — the contradiction that despite increasing knowledge about the importance of … Read more
In literature circles, a red herring is a narrative element that is meant to mislead readers by providing irrelevant information. For example, an author might introduce some plot point to distract the reader and mislead them so the ending is more surprising. Red herrings also pop up in rhetoric and argumentation. A red herring fallacy … Read more
What is “truth?” Truth has been a topic up for discussion for thousands of years, especially in the eyes of philosophers. But when it comes to everyday people, we typically accept truths as being any ideas or concepts that aim to represent reality or correspond to it in some way. The truth is represented by … Read more