Your Deceptive Mind: A Scientific Guide to Critical Thinking Skills

By: Steven Novella, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Steven Novella

Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

No skill is more important in today's world than being able to think about, understand, and act on information in an effective and responsible way. What's more, at no point in human history have we had access to so much information, with such relative ease, as we do in the 21st century. But because misinformation out there has increased as well, critical thinking is more important than ever.

These 24 rewarding lectures equip you with the knowledge and techniques you need to become a savvier, sharper critical thinker in your professional and personal life. By immersing yourself in the science of cognitive biases and critical thinking, and by learning how to think about thinking (a practice known as metacognition), you'll gain concrete lessons for doing so more critically, more intelligently, and more successfully.

The key to successful critical thinking lies in understanding the neuroscience behind how our thinking works - and goes wrong; avoiding common pitfalls and errors in thinking, such as logical fallacies and biases; and knowing how to distinguish good science from pseudoscience. Professor Novella tackles these issues and more, exploring how the (often unfamiliar) ways in which our brains are hardwired can distract and prevent us from getting to the truth of a particular matter.

Along the way, he provides you with a critical toolbox that you can use to better assess the quality of information. Even though the world is becoming more and more saturated information, you can take the initiative and become better prepared to make sense of it all with this intriguing course.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2012 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2012 The Great Courses

Everyone needs this

It is shameful how most of the population lives. Most of what they know is only environmental, some schooling and TV. Not even a clue as to even question. Sadly who ever takes intetest in this books is not the audience in most need of its information.

Great introduction to critical thinking skills

If you want to get a decent understanding of critical thinking skills and the concepts associated with them, this is a great audiobook for doing so in a relaxed way.

Makes You Think

Useful tools and procedures for thinking. I loved how I was able to see how my way of coming to conclusions in the past were flawed and am looking forward to trying a new approach.

Outstanding

I would strongly recommend everyone to listen to this book. The author highlights how you can think differently

Outstanding

Great lecture series. One of the best Should be required listening for all college HS students.

Amazing never heard that mind can be deceptive.

loved it , Everyone should understand their own decision making process and feel the difference.

It is what the title describes-A scientific guide

Any additional comments?

Very scientific and facts based guide to critical thinking and how your mind and thoughts can be fooled even when you have the best of intentions.

Must read

Great book to read for people who are trying to understand why science you should trust science and not just people anybody talking. This book points out a lot of illogical theories we have believed for many of years just because the assumptions seem to make sense. He also gives you the nomenclature so you can improve your science literacy. I will recommend this book to conspiracy theorist and religionists; also to any human living on planet earth. This information can be applicable to everyone at any giving time of their lives. I highly recommend parents to give this book to their children who are going into high school. This will expand their vocabulary and help the think logically about major life decisions that will come in their near future.

Mind Candy

You might think you are adept at critical thinking. This course taught me how to spot my own flawed reasoning and that of others. I will listen to this again for sure.

Excellent!

Should be thought in every classroom starting from a very early age. Great course, highly recommend!

Roman
CEO, Splento