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Where science meets art. The only necessary and sufficient book store in Melbourne.
Hope our friends enjoy the new look and feel – now optimised for mobile devices for access on the go.
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Coordinator: Peter Ellerton
Web guy: Jason Etheridge RESOURCE COLLECTIONS
NEW RESOURCES
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- A nice Philosophy of Mind summary
- The power of categorical logic
- What exactly is the scientific method and why do so many people get it wrong?
- Paralympic athletes faster than olympic athletes — what does this tell us about difference?
- Logic: if + then = why? How can we understand the power of logic?
- How do we ensure we are exposed to new ideas? A parody with bite.
- A Life of Meaning (Reason Not Required) – What is the nature of our relationship with reason?
- Can you name this cognitive bias?
- By what measures can we value human life?
- Teaching philosophy improves standardised scores
- Are we in control of our own decisions?
- Neuroscience and education: myths and messages
- Free will is not as free as we think – and that’s ok.
- Where’s the Proof in Pseudoscience?
- Science in the lead?
RANDOM POSTS
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- Queensland Philosophy and Reason Syllabus
- To think critically means to agree with me! Clarity makes people angry...
- What Price for a Human Life?
- What is the link between language and consciousness?
- Suing for Being Born
- Is Mathematics Discovered or Invented?
- Peace of Mind: Near-Death Experiences Now Found to Have Scientific Explanations
- Another Double Blind Test surprise
- Zen in the modern age
- Developing critical thinking skills
USEFUL RSS FEEDS
Philosopher’s Zone
NYTimes – The Stone
Philosophy Now
RSA Animate
- The Green Corridors Initiative
- Governance governing government
- Why print money when we can print wealth?
- Building a resilient health and care system
- We'll always have Paris?
- Experimentation and equity in global cities
- Technology-enabled deliberative democracy
- Healthier placemaking
- Creating a sovereign wealth fund in Wolverhampton
- Economic recovery and climate action
Scientific American – Mind and Brain
- Kindness Can Have Unexpectedly Positive Consequences
- It's the Bass That Makes Us Boogie
- Subliminal Cues, Precisely Timed, Might Help People Forget Bad Experiences
- Severe COVID May Cause Brain Changes Similar to Aging
- Autism Treatment Shifts Away from 'Fixing' the Condition
- Fatherhood Changes Men's Brain, according to Before-and-After MRI Scans
- Many People with Bipolar Disorder Use Cannabis. It May Sometimes Help
- Why Social Media Makes People Unhappy--And Simple Ways to Fix It
- People Shopping for 'Meaning' Buy Cheaper Goods
- Pregnancy Changes the Brain, Possibly Promoting Bonding with a Baby
TED talks
- 5 hiring tips every company (and job seeker) should know | Nithya Vaduganathan
- Can the metaverse bring us closer to wildlife? | Gautam Shah
- The billion-dollar pollution solution humanity needs right now | Stacy Kauk
- Are video calls the best we can do in the age of the metaverse? | Josephine Eyre
- How great leaders take on uncertainty | Anjali Sud and Stephanie Mehta
- How Indigenous guardians protect the planet and humanity | Valérie Courtois
- How to tap into your awareness -- and why meditation is easier than you think | Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
- Demystifying the wild world of crypto | Laura Shin
- How can we escape soaring energy bills? Stop using fossil fuels | Tessa Khan
- A disability-inclusive future of work | Ryan Gersava
THEMED RESOURCES
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Category Archives: Critical Thinking
Anecdotal Evidence cartoon
via smbc
How Anecdotal Evidence Can Undermine Scientific Results
Why subjective anecdotes often trump objective data By Michael Shermer | July 25, 2008 | 27 http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-anecdotal-evidence-can-undermine-scientific-results The recent medical controversy over whether vaccinations cause autism reveals a habit of human cognition—thinking anecdotally comes naturally, whereas thinking scientifically does not.
Top Ten Evolution Myths – and how we know it really happened (pdf)
Often misunderstandings about evolution are really misunderstandings about how science operates. This document deals with both rather nicely. Philosophy of Science. From the Skeptics Society. Top Ten Evolution Myths (pdf)
Hooked on Horoscopes (pdf)
We may not be able to persuade people that astrology and graphology are nonsense, but psychology, with the help of a showman, reveals why they are so popular. The Barnum effect. Psychology and critical thinking. Hooked on horoscopes (pdf)
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Philosophy in Senior Schools
(From my appearance on ABC Radio National’s ‘Philosopher’s Zone) http://www.abc.net.au/rn/philosopherszone/stories/2007/1911312.htm Philosophy is about asking childlike questions – how do we know the world exists? How do we know it hasn’t just started existing? Why can’t we go back in time? … Continue reading
Some important tools of critical thinking
(from my Ockham’s Razor appearance on the ABC’s Radio National) http://www.abc.net.au/rn/ockhamsrazor/stories/2010/2975629.htm Robyn Williams: And now, the bad news. No, don’t run off – this is interesting – even Quite Interesting, as Stephen Fry might say. Here I’ll quote directly from a … Continue reading
Teaching the Nature of Science
Three Critical Questions By Randy L. Bell, Ph.D. Teaching the Nature of Science
Decartes Evil Demon
Power point & questions for grade 10 students. Metaphysics, are you a brain in a vat? Overview of Descartes’ evil demon hypothesis (ppt) Comprehension and understanding questions (doc) Descartes and the Evil Demon answers (doc) (Uploaded by Diane Butler.)
To think critically means to agree with me! Clarity makes people angry…
Hysterical Dilbert cartoon. Critical thinking, argument, argumentation.
The Tools of Critical Thinking
Ocham’s Razor episode with Peter Ellerton on Inductive and Deductive Reasoning and courses in schools. Critical thinking. Ockhams Razor – Ellerton (mp3)
Cognitive Bias in Reasoning
A list of topics from Wikipedia – visit there by clicking on the links – well worth the effort. Decision-making and behavioral biases Many of these biases are studied for how they affect belief formation, business decisions, and scientific research. … Continue reading
Heads I Win – A study of persitence of belief by Tim van Gelder
A great read on aspects of confirmation bias and the like. Critical thinking. HeadsIWin
Psychology and Psychics – Why some people think they are psychic.
Interesting article on why people may feel psychic from New Scientist. Philosophy of mind, human nature, psychics, psychology. New Scientist Belief Special 28 January 2006 Glad to be gullible Clare Wilson It is five minutes past midnight and I am alone … Continue reading
Learn to be Psychic in 10 Easy Lessons
How it’s done from the American Skeptics. Pseudoscience, psychics, cold reading, hypothesis testing. 10_Easy_Psychic_Lessons
Just think: it’s important
Sydney Morning Herald article on teaching philosophy in schools. Reason being … Peter Ellerton teaches philosophy at Brisbane’s Calamvale Community College and started the Australian Philosophy Teachers Network to get more resources to teachers. Photo: Paul Harris August 25, … Continue reading
Intelligent Design – the Myth of Irreducible Complexity
How irreducible complexity, a stalwart of the Intelligent Design movement is NOT supported by the bacterial flagellum. Philosophy of science, philosophy of religion, hypothesis. Mark Perakh discusses how Intelligent Design proponents created the myth that bacterial flagella look like man-made … Continue reading
Free Will vs the Programmed Brain
If our actions are determined by prior events, then do we have a choice about anything—or any responsibility for what we do? Scientific American. Free will, philosophy of mind, determinism. By Shaun Nichols Many scientists and philosophers are convinced that … Continue reading
Yes Prime Minister – Survey Design
Brilliant clip of how to design a survey to get the result you want. Bias, social, critical thinking. Yes Minister Survey (wmv)