Heuristics

July 2026

• Jul 12, 2026ConceptsThe Availability Heuristic: Why Vivid Beats LikelyThe availability heuristic explained: why we judge probability by ease of recall, how vivid events distort risk, and how to defend against the bias.15 MIN1.5k

April 2026

• Apr 15, 2026ConceptsOckham's, Hanlon's, and Chesterton's Razors ExplainedExpert-written explanation of three classic reasoning heuristics with when to apply each, common misapplications, and decision examples.13 MIN2.5k

January 2026

• Jan 28, 2026ConceptsHeuristics ExplainedHeuristics are mental shortcuts for fast decisions: availability judges by what comes to mind, representativeness by similarity to stereotypes.24 MIN27.5k

January 2025

• Jan 1, 2025ConceptsAnchoring and Adjustment: Influence of Initial NumbersTversky and Kahneman spun a rigged wheel that landed on either 10 or 65, then asked subjects how many African countries are in the United Nations.20 MIN6.6k

December 2024

• Dec 31, 2024ConceptsThe Affect Heuristic: How Feelings Become Facts About RiskPaul Slovic found that people who feel positively about nuclear power judge its risks as low and its benefits as high.21 MIN7.1k
• Dec 3, 2024ConceptsThe Representativeness Heuristic: Judging by AppearancesLinda is 31, outspoken, a philosophy major, passionate about social justice. Is she more likely to be a bank teller, or a bank teller active in the...21 MIN3.0k

November 2024

• Nov 19, 2024ConceptsAnchoring Bias: The First Number Shapes Your MindIn 1974, Kahneman and Tversky spun a rigged wheel in front of subjects, who knew it was rigged, and it still bent their estimates.15 MIN9.0k
• Nov 10, 2024ConceptsThe Availability Heuristic and Media: Why What Comes to Mind Feels Like What Is TrueTversky and Kahneman asked subjects whether more English words begin with the letter K or have K as their third letter. Most said K-first, wrong by a factor of three. Words starting with K are just easier to retrieve. The availability heuristic: we judge probability and frequency by how easily examples come to mind, not by how common they actually are. The science behind risk misperception, media effects, and why we fear the wrong things.18 MIN6.9k