Reasoning

September 2026

• Sep 7, 2026ConceptsOccam's Razor: When the Simplest Explanation WinsOccam's razor explained: why parsimony works, its Bayesian basis, where it fails (Hickam's dictum), Morgan's Canon in animals, and how to use it well.15 MIN538

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 MIN2.6k
• Apr 15, 2026ConceptsWhen to Use First Principles vs Systems ThinkingExpert-written comparison of first principles thinking and systems thinking with decision criteria for when each produces better results.12 MIN3.7k
• Apr 14, 2026ConceptsFirst Principles Thinking: Elon Musk's Approach ExplainedFirst principles thinking explained from Aristotle to Elon Musk. The five-step method, real examples from SpaceX battery costs to pharmaceutical...16 MIN1.1k

February 2026

• Feb 19, 2026ConceptsFirst Principles Thinking ExplainedFirst principles thinking means breaking problems to fundamental truths, then building solutions from scratch.16 MIN42.3k

November 2025

• Nov 4, 2025Work SkillsCritical Thinking: Enhancing Decision-Making SkillsCritical thinking is the systematic evaluation of information and reasoning to reach better conclusions.25 MIN15.7k

August 2025

• Aug 12, 2025IdeasLearning Projects for Critical ThinkingCritical thinking projects: comparative analysis of competing approaches, reverse engineering successful systems, assumption mapping.28 MIN8.7k

July 2025

• Jul 18, 2025ExplainersWhat Is Critical Thinking? Beginner ExplanationQuestion assumptionsis this really true? Evaluate evidence for quality and relevance. Consider alternative explanations.45 MIN19.7k

May 2025

• May 25, 2025CultureMoral Intuitions vs. Moral ReasoningIntuitions come firstgut reactions precede logical justification. Reasoning often rationalizes feelings rather than generating moral conclusions.41 MIN33.4k

November 2024

• Nov 14, 2024ConceptsConfirmation Bias: Why We Find What We're Looking ForIn 1960, Peter Wason showed subjects the sequence 2-4-6 and told them it followed a rule. To discover the rule, they proposed triples. Almost universally, subjects proposed triples that fit their hypothesis, such as 4-6-8, 10-12-14, and almost never proposed triples that could disprove it. The rule was simply 'any ascending sequence.' Confirmation bias: the systematic tendency to search for, favor, and remember information that confirms what we already believe.26 MIN4.1k

October 2024

• Oct 15, 2024ConceptsCritical Thinking: A Guide to Clear ReasoningCritical thinking is the ability to analyze information objectively, evaluate arguments carefully, and reach well-reasoned conclusions rather than...27 MIN2.6k

March 2024

• Mar 13, 2024CultureWhat Is Epistemology: How We Know What We KnowEpistemology is the philosophy of knowledge: what it means to know something, how knowledge differs from belief, and why it matters for everyday reasoning.13 MIN3.3k

December 2023

• Dec 16, 2023ConceptsThink Critically: Science and Practical Steps for ReasoningWhat cognitive science, forecasting research, and epistemic psychology reveal about why reasoning fails and how to actually improve it.17 MIN7.6k

March 2023

• Mar 28, 2023Work SkillsCritical Thinking: Skills and Barriers to ImprovementCritical thinking explained: the definition, Bloom's taxonomy's 6 levels, common logical fallacies, cognitive barriers, and practical exercises to...22 MIN5.0k

December 2022

• Dec 8, 2022ConceptsWhat Is Deductive vs Inductive ReasoningDeductive reasoning moves from general principles to specific conclusions. Inductive reasoning moves from specific observations to general principles.19 MIN7.0k