Assumptions

Question 1

Worldview

Answer 1

A personal set of assumptions, defaults, heuristics, priorities, and values that distorts and limits everyone’s critical thinking.

Question 2

Deduction

Answer 2

The assumption that one’s arguments are usually deductive. Good arguments about reality are very rarely deductive.

Question 3

Deep Disagreement

Answer 3

When we lack the common ground of shared principles of reasoning to start constructing arguments that both parties might find acceptable.

Question 4

Reasonable Judgement (Ground between truth and opinion)

Answer 4

A cogent argument based on publicly accessible premises and the best available information. It may not be true, but is not mere opinion.

Question 5

Induction

Answer 5

The assumption of the historical pattern that historical patterns tend to persist.

Question 6

Conspiracy Thinking

Answer 6

The assumptions that bias people towards conspiracies as explanations for a range of slightly mysterious, or even straight-forward, events.

Question 7

Scientism

Answer 7

A set of erroneous notions including: that science identifies truth; that science is the only reliable way to find truth; that science should eventually replace or ‘improve’ most other subjects; that those subjects not included in science are worthless.

Question 8

Reductionism

Answer 8

The erroneous notion that every complex phenomenon, especially in biology or psychology, can be completely explained by analysing its simplest, most basic physical mechanisms.