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084 Hugo Mercier, Dan Sperber: The Enigma of Reason

Human reasoning evolved to argue and persuade others, rather than to objectively search for truth.

Duration: 14 hours
56 minutes
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Hugo Mercier, Dan Sperber: The Enigma of Reason

Summary

In "The Enigma of Reason," Hugo Mercier and Dan Sperber argue that human reasoning evolved not to help us find the truth but to argue and persuade others. The authors examine how the human mind works and why we are so prone to making irrational decisions. They also explore how we can use this knowledge to improve our thinking and decision-making skills.

About

Title: The Enigma of Reason

Author: Hugo Mercier and Dan Sperber

Publishing year: 2017

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Length in hours: 14 hours and 56 minutes

5 main ideas

  1. Human reasoning evolved not to help us find the truth, but to argue and persuade others.
  2. We are prone to making irrational decisions because of cognitive biases.
  3. Our reasoning abilities are limited, and we often rely on mental shortcuts to make decisions.
  4. We can improve our thinking and decision-making skills by being aware of our cognitive biases and practicing critical thinking.
  5. The authors suggest that we need to rethink how we teach critical thinking in schools and universities.
Hugo Mercier, Dan Sperber: The Enigma of Reason

5 funny quotes

  1. "Don't believe everything you think."
  2. "It's hard to think outside the box when you're inside a cube."
  3. "I'm not arguing, I'm just explaining why I'm right."
  4. "I have a photographic memory, but I always forget to load the film."
  5. "I'm not lazy, I'm just on energy-saving mode."

5 thought-provoking quotes​

  1. "Reasoning doesn't have to be perfect to be useful."
  2. "Our reasoning abilities are much more limited than we think."
  3. "People are often more interested in winning arguments than finding the truth."
  4. "We need to be more aware of our own cognitive biases if we want to make better decisions."
  5. "The goal of reasoning is not to find the truth, but to persuade others."

5 dilemmas

  1. Is reasoning more likely to lead to true beliefs or false beliefs?
  2. Should we trust our reasoning or our intuition?
  3. Is it possible to reason without being biased by our emotions and motivations?
  4. Is it ethical to use our knowledge of reasoning biases to manipulate people?
  5. Can we design systems and institutions that promote reasoning and discourage irrationality?

5 examples

  1. The confirmation bias: People tend to seek out information that confirms their pre-existing beliefs. For example, a climate change denier might only read articles that support their views.
  2. The sunk cost fallacy: People are more likely to continue investing time, money or effort into a project even when it's clear that it's not working out. For example, a business owner might continue pouring money into a failing project because they've already invested so much.
  3. The bandwagon effect: People are more likely to believe something if many others believe it too. For example, a person might choose to support a political candidate simply because they are popular.
  4. The framing effect: People are influenced by how information is presented to them. For example, a person might be more likely to choose a product that is labeled "95% fat-free" rather than "5% fat."
  5. The Dunning-Kruger effect: People who are less skilled or knowledgeable in a particular area are often more confident in their abilities than those who are more skilled or knowledgeable. For example, an inexperienced driver might overestimate their abilities and drive recklessly.

Referenced books

  1. "The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature" by Steven Pinker
  2. "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions" by Thomas S. Kuhn
  3. "Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman
  4. "The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion" by Jonathan Haidt
  5. "The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement" by David Brooks

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"People are often more interested in winning arguments than finding the truth."

Hugo Mercier, Dan Sperber: The Enigma of Reason

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