One of the important parts of critical thinking is the awareness that no one is perfectly critical and thinking logically all the time. Anyone can make errors in the process of thinking– unconscious errors that lead to misinterpretation of information…
The latest trend in our media landscape is that AI is taking over much of the textproduction being published on internet blogs and news outlets. Many news outlets are in reality just publishing articles to generate clicks and income from…
An important part of fact checking is to know what you’re reading, and who wrote it and why? In other words you need media literacy. The role of fact checking and verification has changed, professionals are no longer able to…
Apart from the studies supporting the necessity of fact checking, another argument beside it is that it is still a better option than regulating the rights of free speech. And as we arrive at the topic of free speech the…
Debunking, verification, and fact checking are often used interchangeably, sometimes causing confusion, but there are differences. Many of us might be familiar with the series MythBusters, which specialised in testing urban legends, popular myths, and movie scenes. Each episode disproves…
When we come across theories that differ from our worldview we are faced with two alternatives. Either we can embrace the new theory and change our worldview, or we can reject the new theory. Normally most people will do the…
Confirmation bias is the tendency to search for, interpret, focus on, and remember information in a way that confirms one’s preconceptions. What this means is that we tend to remember things that we already know and agree with, whereas we seem…
It is well known that there are a lot of well described and well understood psychological mechanisms in play when we consume information and try to understand the world based on them. Researchers believe that some of the psychological mechanisms…
Breaking out of the information bubbles is essential for maintaining a healthy public discourse and democracy. It is important to raise public awareness about the algorithms used by search engines and social media platforms and their impact on our lives.…
An information bubble is created when people primarily, or exclusively, consume information from the same type of sources, or with the same type of agenda or political viewpoint. The consequences of information bubbles can be significant. They can lead to…
Our social influences play a significant role in how we choose to receive information. People seek information about what their peers believe and do in order to avoid social exclusion or just to feel part of a group. This is…
People today have access to a vast array of informational resources, ranging from online search engines like Google and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, to simple mailing lists and WhatsApp groups. However, the abundance of information available can…
In preparation for more exciting content, read our first newsletter: Critical Balance 1st NL
There are many reasons for starting to believe in conspiracy theories. As we have seen some people may even be predisposed to this by being part of certain groups or having lived through certain experiences. Some conspiracy theories may match…
An important distinction to make is “how much” people believe in a theory. Is the belief strong enough to mobilise people into action? We don’t see any riots or marches based on whether or not we landed on the Moon…