Schmachtenberger: Epistemology

06/03/2025 1h 31min

Listen "Schmachtenberger: Epistemology"

Episode Synopsis

0:00 Intro2:00 Learning goalsSENSEMAKING 1013:40 Assumed basics: philosophy of science, logical fallacies, critical thinking, Karl Popper4:30 Science as subdomain within epistemology/sensemaking5:08 Framework: replicability vs measurability6:20 Real and objective are not synonymous; the limited usefulness of reductionism8:40 Essence of sensemaking: earnestness, curiousity, humility9:57 "Science is the earnest endeavour to put into order the facts and experiences" -- Sir Arthur Eddington10:32 Types of bias; personal, emotional, cognitive, financial, institutional15:23 We want to be friends with uncertainty16:21 Certainty bias; science as fundamentalism, body of knowledge17:21 Uncertainty bias; postmodernism as post truth, post fact19:38 Complexity and W.E.I.R.D. bias within social science22:17 Confidence and certainty; choosing the right epistemic process, axioms, basis for action23:41 A mature relation to certaintyCOMMON MISTAKES & COVID-1925:52 The most common places where people mess up27:00 Positivity bias (optimism)31:28 Catastrophism bias (pessimism)35:45 Authority bias37:18 The benefit of not being an expert38:48 The pro and anti authority memeplexes43:21 Anti-Trump bias and the Benign China hypothesis45:39 Hydroxychloroquine & placebo55:37 David Icke and COVID-19 TRUTHTOOLS AND PRINCIPLES59:41 Favorite tools1:01:20 Childhood bases for biases1:04:39 Heal before acting1:09:39 What it takes to lead change1:10:52 Slow is smooth, smooth is fast1:12:57 Bias towards analysis over synthesis1:13:54 Where Occam's Razor fails1:14:57 How to orient1:16:57 Don't pollute the information ecology1:19:28 On asking for help1:20:46 Einstein's process1:24:34 Inoculation against propagandaCLOSING WORDS1:25:28 On the love of wisdom1:28:19 On acting from love