Critical thinking, science, and pseudoscience : why we can't trust our brains

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Cover Title Copyright Contents Foreword: Brains, Hearts, Guts, and Genitals Preface Reference Acknowledgments Share Critical Thinking, Science, and Pseudoscience: Why We Can’t Trust Our Brains Chapter 1: Why Do We Need Critical Thinking? Knowledge and Empowerment Justification Relativism If Actions Matter, Beliefs Do Too Opinions, Beliefs, and Knowledge Opinions and Beliefs Knowledge Justification of Beliefs What’s the Point of Critical Thinking? The High-Ground Answer The Middle-Ground Answer The Low-Ground Answer Conclusions Questions for Reflection References Chapter 2: What Is Science? Hype Versus Hypotheses Science: Not Always “Common Sense” What Is Science? Building Blocks of the Scientific Method Scientific Reasoning An Example Induction and Deduction Verification and Falsification Conclusions Questions for Reflection References Chapter 3: What Is Pseudoscience? Why Is this a Problem? The Demarcation Problem Tips for Identifying Pseudoscience Sensationalism and Oversimplification Press Releases, Jargon, and “Churnalism” Conflicts of Interest Anecdotal Evidence Small and/or Unrepresentative Sample Sizes Cherry-Picking No Control Group, No Blind Testing The Limits of Science Conclusions Questions for Reflection References Chapter 4: What Is Critical Thinking? What Is a Skeptic? Optimal, Not Perfect, Decisions The Space of Reasons Argument and Argumentation Arguments and Nonarguments A Global Debate Critical Thinking—A Skeptic’s Guide Extraordinary Claims Falsifiability Occam’s Razor and Ruling Out Rival Hypotheses Fallacies Engaging With Fallacies Induction Versus Deduction Logic and Truth Preservation Conclusions Questions for Reflection References Chapter 5: Why Can’t We Trust Our Brains? The Logically Illogical Brain Confirmation Bias Belief Perseverance Hindsight Bias Representative Heuristic Availability Heuristic Anchoring and Adjustment Heuristics Getting Something from Nothing Backmasking The Face of a Martian Religious Imagery in Unusual Places Sports Curses and Jinxes Seeing Because of Believing Backmasking Unmasked Jesus, Martian, and Joseph! Statistical Unjinxing Conclusions Questions for Reflection References Chapter 6: Why Can’t We Trust Our World? Confirmation Bias and Motivated Reasoning The Backfire Effect Filter Bubbles and Echo Chambers Moral Panics and Dietary Hyperbole Is Sugar Addictive? Pressure to Publish Scientific Reseach and Press Releases Conclusions Questions for Reflection References Chapter 7: Aliens, Abductions, and UFOs Life Outside of Earth Aliens Throughout History Betty and Barney Hill’s Abduction Critical Thinking About Abduction Claims Ancient Aliens and Modern Crashes Conclusions Questions for Reflection References Chapter 8: Psychic Powers and Talking to the Dead Types of Psychic Powers PSI Research and the Rise of Parapsychology Critically Examining PSI Positive Research Fool Me Once, Shame on You Fool Me Twice, Shame on Me Death, Taxes, and Mediums Using Cold Reading Conclusions Questions for Reflection References Chapter 9: Unknown Animals and Cryptozoology Man-Apes in North America Brief History of Bigfoot Encounters Critical Thinking Applied to Bigfoot Evidence Living “Dinosaurs” in Africa and Scotland The Loch Ness Monster Mokele-Mbembe Critical Thinking About Nessie and Mokele-Mbembe Alien Goat Killers in Latin American and Beyond Cryptozoology—Science or Pseudoscience? Conclusions Questions for Reflection References Chapter 10: Evaluating Health Claims in Alternative Medicine Defining Terms and Levels of Evidence Evidence-Based Practice Levels of Evidence Changing Names and Kinds Global Use of CAM Placebos, Regressions, and Their Effects The Placebo Effect Regression to the Mean in Health The Blind Researching the Blind Why Is Cam So Popular? Tips for Avoiding Non-EBP in Health Care Conclusions Questions for Reflection References Chapter 11: Alternative Medicine for Physical Health Chiropractic Manipulations History and Background Research on Chiropractic Acupuncture History and Background Research on Acupuncture Homeopathy History and Background Research on Homeopathy Therapeutic Touch and Other Energy Therapies Research on Energy Therapies Natural Products and Supplements Conclusions Questions for Reflection References Chapter 12: Pseudoscience in Mental Health EBP in Psychology Autism Spectrum Disorder Autism and Vaccines Evidence Based Versus Pseudoscientific Treatments for Autism Trauma-Focused Therapies Critical Incident Stress Management Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing “Energy” Trauma Therapies Substance Use Treatment Projective Testing Reliability and Validity Rorschach Inkblot Method Thematic Apperception Test Figure Drawings Conclusions About Projectives How to Choose a Good Mental Health Provider Conclusions Questions for Reflection References Chapter 13: The Relationship Between Science and Religion Relationships Between Science and Religion Science, Religion, and Beliefs in the Modern World Conclusions Questions for Reflection References Chapter 14: Conclusions and Recommendations The Ideal Skeptic Encouraging Critical Thinking Via Grassroots Activism Resources References Afterword: Science and Humility The Personality of the Scientist Distinguishing Science from Scientists The Essence of Science Science as a Self-Correcting Enterprise Science Versus Pseudoscience References Index