Think

1. Embrace Skepticism: Your Essential Defense Against Deception.

Applied vigorously and consistently, skepticism could change humankind for the better overnight.

Live on Planet Crazy. You are born onto a planet teeming with people who, despite good intentions, are often deluded or wrong, and others who actively trade in lies to exploit you. These ideas are like microbial parasites, constantly seeking entry into your brain. Skepticism is your crucial defense.

Avoid being a victim. Deciding to be a good skeptic saves time, money, embarrassment, and potentially your life. Without questioning claims, you risk squandering resources on bogus treatments, falling prey to con artists, joining organizations based on lies, and living with unnecessary fears.

Insufficient skepticism crisis. Weak skepticism is an underreported global crisis leading to needless suffering, wasted resources, and lost lives. It's not about arrogance or denying mystery, but about minimizing the time wasted on lies and misperceptions by thinking like a scientist every day.

2. Think Like a Scientist: Demand Evidence, Question Everything.

Thinking like a scientist in this context only means that you maintain a healthy level of curiosity and doubt.

Antidote to bad thinking. The most effective way to combat bad thinking and crazy claims is with good thinking, similar to how a scientist investigates phenomena. This involves observation, research, hypothesizing, asking questions, experimenting, and sharing conclusions with sensible people.

Proof before belief. The core mechanics are simple: require proof before believing anything, and understand that nothing is beyond questioning or revision. Be willing to change your mind if new evidence demands it, and don't be afraid to say "I don't know."

Lifelong war. Irrational claims are relentless; dismantle one, and more appear. Your best strategy is a never-ending siege, holding them off with critical thinking. Stay positive and understand that people holding bad ideas are often victims of bad thinking, not inherently bad themselves.

3. Know Your Brain: It's Naturally Biased and Easily Fooled.

The brutal truth is that human brains do a poor job of separating truth from fiction.

Strange roommate. The brain is an amazing organ, processing senses, regulating vital functions, and housing thoughts and memories. However, it operates in strange ways, often deceiving us without our awareness, making us vulnerable to believing things that aren't true.

Memory is unreliable. Your most detailed and confident memories can be partial or total lies, constructed by the brain for functional value rather than accuracy. Memories can be altered or contaminated by false information, imagination, or even implanted by others, making eyewitness accounts of unusual events highly questionable.

Biases distort reality. The brain is prone to numerous biases and thinking errors that distort our perception and reasoning. Examples include:

• Confirmation bias: Favoring evidence that supports existing beliefs.
• Inattentional blindness: Failing to see things right in front of you when focused elsewhere.
• Patternicity: Seeing meaningful patterns in meaningless noise.
• Availability heuristic: Over-relying on vivid examples over statistics.

4. Unmask Popular Beliefs: They Often Lack Evidence and Logic.

Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence.

Challenge the unusual. Many popular beliefs, from UFOs and ghosts to alternative medicine and astrology, are unproven and unlikely. A good skeptic applies critical thinking to these claims, asking for evidence and considering alternative, natural explanations.

Lack of evidence. Despite widespread belief and countless stories, there is a striking absence of credible, scientifically confirmed evidence for claims like alien visitations, psychic powers, or the Bermuda Triangle mystery. Stories and personal experiences, while compelling, are insufficient proof due to brain unreliability.

Simple explanations suffice. Many seemingly mysterious phenomena have simple, natural explanations often overlooked by believers. For example:

• UFOs: Misidentified objects, atmospheric phenomena, secret aircraft, or brain misinterpretations.
• Ghosts: Misinterpreted sights/sounds, imagination, or psychological phenomena like sleep paralysis.
• Alternative Medicine: Placebo effect, natural recovery, or misattribution of cause.
• Astrology: Vague predictions, confirmation bias, and lack of a plausible mechanism.

5. Care for Your Thinking Machine: Fuel It, Move It, Rest It.

Your brain’s life is your life.

Brain deserves better. We often neglect our brains, taking them for granted despite their vital role in everything we do. Proper care is essential for optimal performance in all aspects of life, from thinking clearly to managing emotions.

Nutrition matters. What you eat directly impacts brain health and function. Chronic poor nutrition hinders development and performance. Aim for a diet rich in vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats, and limit junk food and sugary drinks to provide your brain with the fuel it needs.

Exercise is crucial. Physical activity significantly boosts brain performance, reduces stress, and promotes the growth of new brain cells. Aim for regular moderate activity and strength training. Our bodies evolved to be active, and inactivity cripples brain potential.

Prioritize sleep. Sufficient sleep is non-negotiable for a healthy brain. Sleep deprivation impairs concentration, learning, memory, and reasoning. Figure out your personal sleep needs and prioritize getting enough rest to ensure your brain functions optimally.

6. Stimulate Your Brain: Learning Keeps It Sharp and Healthy.

The human brain is a kind organic machine that thrives and operates best when it is consistently called on to do its intended job of learning and thinking.

Use it or lose it. The brain, like a muscle, needs consistent stimulation to stay strong and capable. A lack of mental work leads to weakening. Make a commitment to lifelong learning and exploration.

New challenges build connections. Learning new skills, languages, or subjects stimulates the growth of connective wiring (white matter) in the brain, enhancing its overall function and potentially delaying age-related cognitive decline. It doesn't matter if you master the skill, just the effort of learning is beneficial.

Read incessantly. Regular reading is a powerful brain workout, increasing blood flow to various regions and helping to preserve structural integrity. Make reading a habit; it's a valuable way to learn and keep your brain sharp.

Explore the world. Experiencing new places, cultures, and natural environments is excellent brain stimulation. Travel, visit museums, and connect with nature. These activities provide rich sensory input and new learning opportunities that keep the brain engaged and healthy.

7. Find Wonder in Reality: It's More Amazing Than Any Fantasy.

The real universe is not a bitter pill to be choked down. It’s the ultimate theme park and your human brain is the golden ticket.

Reality's wonders. The natural world and the universe offer far more genuine excitement, mystery, and awe than any unproven claim. Why settle for mythical monsters or magical powers when science reveals astonishing realities?

Microbial universe. Our planet is teeming with bizarre and important microscopic life-forms that we are only beginning to understand. From bacteria living miles underground to viruses shaping ocean ecosystems, the microbial world is a frontier of endless discovery, proving reality is stranger than fiction.

Cosmic scale. We live in an absurdly large universe filled with gigantic stars, countless galaxies, and ancient atoms that make up everything, including us. Contemplating the vastness of space and time, and our connection to it, provides a profound sense of wonder and perspective.

Human story. Our history and prehistory, filled with challenges, innovations, spectacular highs, and shocking lows, is a compelling narrative. Learning about our ancestors and the rise of civilization reveals the incredible capabilities of the human brain and our shared journey.

8. Skepticism is Constructive: It Frees You to Live Better.

Skepticism is positive, optimistic, and constructive.

More gain than loss. While some fear losing comfort or excitement by abandoning unproven beliefs, skepticism offers far greater gains. It trims away mental clutter, allowing you to focus on real problems, build genuine relationships, and pursue tangible goals.

Not anti-wonder. Skepticism doesn't mean denying mystery or being against everything. It's about aligning with truth and reality. If evidence emerged for ghosts or alien visits, skeptics would be thrilled to incorporate these new facts into their understanding of the universe.

Avoid emotional traps. Skepticism helps you navigate life without being swayed by emotional appeals or falling for scams. It empowers you to make decisions based on evidence and reason, leading to a safer and more efficient life.

Live fully in reality. By freeing your mind from delusions, skepticism allows you to fully appreciate the wonders of the real world. It enables you to engage with science, explore the universe, and connect with others based on shared reality, not shared fantasy.

9. Question Everything: No Belief Is Too Sacred to Examine.

Scrutiny should rise with importance, not go down.

Consistency is key. Skepticism should be applied universally, not selectively. It's illogical to question some unproven claims (like astrology) while giving others (like certain religious claims or conspiracy theories) a free pass.

Importance demands vigilance. Beliefs deemed "too special" or "too big to fail" are precisely the ones that require the most scrutiny. If a belief is crucial to your well-being, you need to be certain it's valid, not just accept it blindly.

Ignorance is not proof. Just because something is mysterious, unexplained, or unexpected doesn't mean it's supernatural or magical. Saying "I don't know" is a sign of intellectual honesty, not weakness. Mysteries are not miracles.

Challenge the source. Don't be swayed by authority figures, popularity, or tradition when evaluating claims. Assess the evidence and logic independently. Remember that even smart, sincere people can be wrong due to biases and lack of information.

10. The World Needs Thinkers: Combat the Crisis of Weak Skepticism.

The amount of irrational thinking that passes for business as usual these days leaves humankind to face each new day blindfolded, with one arm tied behind its back, and one foot stuck in a bucket.

Cost of irrationality. Weak skepticism burdens humanity with immense costs, from wasted resources on scams to violence and suffering fueled by baseless beliefs. In an increasingly complex world with powerful technology, irrational thinking poses a significant threat.

Elevate humankind. Becoming a thinking species, rather than primarily a believing one, is crucial for navigating the future. Science and reason offer the tools to solve global problems and achieve a better world, but only if widely embraced.

Spread the word. Those who understand the value of skepticism have a moral obligation to encourage others to think critically. Be constructive, patient, and understanding, focusing on dismantling bad ideas while respecting the people who hold them.

Don't be discouraged. While irrationality is widespread, the number of people who value science and skepticism is growing. You can live a fulfilling life as a critical thinker, finding community with others who prioritize reality and reason.

Last updated: May 2, 2025