Think It Through: the Clearer Thinking Podcast

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1265189/open_sms] April confesses to being a "big ol' nerd" while discussing three sneaky fallacies that sidestep evidence and shut down discourse. Episode 41 Show Notes: It's a study guide about the No True Scotsman fallacy! Hey, they're good for adults too: https://studylatam.com/no-true-scotsman-fallacy-in-philosophy/ [https://studylatam.com/no-true-scotsman-fallacy-in-philosophy/] Another good article about No True Scotsman: https://practicalpie.com/no-true-scotsman/ [https://practicalpie.com/no-true-scotsman/] Rational Wiki is always a good go-to for fallacies: https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/No_True_Scotsman [https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/No_True_Scotsman] What's cognitive ease? Here you go: learning-mind.com/cognitive-ease/ [https://www.learning-mind.com/cognitive-ease/] Great article on the illusory truth effect: https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/illusory-truth-effect [https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/illusory-truth-effect] Patrick Stokes' article in The Conversation on why he's so tough on his philosophy students: https://theconversation.com/no-youre-not-entitled-to-your-opinion-9978 [https://theconversation.com/no-youre-not-entitled-to-your-opinion-9978] Stephen Rainey's blog that discusses the concept of our "entitlement" to opinions: https://blog.practicalethics.ox.ac.uk/2019/03/entitlement/ [https://blog.practicalethics.ox.ac.uk/2019/03/entitlement/] *I have begun using ChatGPT to organize and outline my episodes--it does a great job clarifying my ideas. I still do the writing, though, so I can't say it saves a lot of time!

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1265189/open_sms] In this episode, April talks about why good data (current, accurate, and trustworthy) is so important to good thinking. She is perturbed about the current administration's deliberate attempts to delete, change, or hide critical government data. However, she is also hopeful that the many efforts to protect and preserve this data will be successful. Episode 40 Show Notes--just citations because my explanations took up too much data...  https://www.getrightdata.com/blog/why-quality-matters-the-10-biggest-data-quality-disasters [https://www.getrightdata.com/blog/why-quality-matters-the-10-biggest-data-quality-disasters] https://www.smorescience.com/data-driven-life-how-information-shapes-our-daily-decisionsexamples-of-data-in-everyday-life/ [https://www.smorescience.com/data-driven-life-how-information-shapes-our-daily-decisionsexamples-of-data-in-everyday-life/]  https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2025/05/06/newark-airport-radio-radar-failures/83471323007/ [https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2025/05/06/newark-airport-radio-radar-failures/83471323007/]  https://abcnews.go.com/Health/white-house-covid-web-page-page-supporting-lab/story?id=120956514 [https://abcnews.go.com/Health/white-house-covid-web-page-page-supporting-lab/story?id=120956514]  https://insideclimatenews.org/news/31012025/trump-administration-war-on-science/ [https://insideclimatenews.org/news/31012025/trump-administration-war-on-science/] https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefing-book/climate-change-transparency-project-foia/2025-02-06/disappearing-data-trump?utm_source=chatgpt.com [https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefing-book/climate-change-transparency-project-foia/2025-02-06/disappearing-data-trump?utm_source=chatgpt.com]  https://www.rheumatologyadvisor.com/news/key-cdc-health-websites-vanish-following-trump-orders/?utm_source=chatgpt.com [https://www.rheumatologyadvisor.com/news/key-cdc-health-websites-vanish-following-trump-orders/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/public-health/removal-pages-cdc-website-brings-confusion-dismay?utm_source=chatgpt.com [https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/public-health/removal-pages-cdc-website-brings-confusion-dismay?utm_source=chatgpt.com] https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/02/06/nx-s1-5288113/cdc-website-health-data-trump [https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/02/06/nx-s1-5288113/cdc-website-health-data-trump] https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/20/trump-missing-murdered-indigenous-peoples-report-removed?utm_source=chatgpt.com [https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/20/trump-missing-murdered-indigenous-peoples-report-removed?utm_source=chatgpt.com] https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/the-data-hoarders-resisting-trumps-purge [https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/the-data-hoarders-resisting-trumps-purge?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=dhfacebook&utm_content=app.dashsocial.com%2Fnewyorkermag%2Flibrary%2Fmedia%2F512206113] https://libguides.umn.edu/c.php?g=1449575&p=10778647 [https://libguides.umn.edu/c.php?g=1449575&p=10778647] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Government_watchdog_groups_in_the_United_States [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Government_watchdog_groups_in_the_United_States] https://journalistsresource.org/home/researchers-rush-to-preserve-federal-health-databases-before-they-disappear-from-government-websites/ [https://journalistsresource.org/home/researchers-rush-to-preserve-federal-health-databases-before-they-disappear-from-government-websites/]

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1265189/open_sms] In this episode, April attempts to unpack the complicated topic of propaganda, a form of persuasion used by corporations, advertisers, pundits, influencers, and political personalities. These days, it's important for critical thinkers to understand that there should be a delineation between propaganda and the kind of rhetoric used in democratic governance, to recognize propaganda and to avoid being influenced by it. If this sounds important--well, it is. Episode 39 Show Notes https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/propaganda [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/propaganda]--this references the origins of the word propaganda and its original link to religious proselytizing https://www.thoughtco.com/propaganda-definition-1691544 [https://www.thoughtco.com/propaganda-definition-1691544]--Dr. Richard Nordquist's excellent ThoughtCo article about the difference between rhetoric and propaganda https://researchguides.uoregon.edu/medialiteracy/propaganda [https://researchguides.uoregon.edu/medialiteracy/propaganda] --University of Oregon's Media Literary Research guide's deep dive into propaganda has some great information about how to determine if something is propaganda https://researchguides.uoregon.edu/medialiteracy/propaganda [https://researchguides.uoregon.edu/medialiteracy/propaganda] --the Naab Research Center gives examples of positive uses of propaganda Emotional Campaigning in Politics: Being Moved and Anger … [https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.781851/pdf?isPublishedV2=false]--a pdf of Gruning and Schubert's article about the use of emotion in political campaigns https://www.yourdictionary.com/articles/glittering-generalities [https://www.yourdictionary.com/articles/glittering-generalities]--YourDictionary.com has a great article with examples of glittering generalities https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Loaded_language [https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Loaded_language]--the list of "snarl" words is at the bottom of this wiki page devoted to loaded language https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/AllSidesMediaBiasChart-Version2.jpg [https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/AllSidesMediaBiasChart-Version2.jpg]--an updated version of the AllSides Media Bias chart https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/ [https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/]--a great source for checking the bias of any news source, as well as whether it has failed any fact checks https://disinformation-nation.org/combat-propaganda/ [https://disinformation-nation.org/combat-propaganda/]--great article about ways to combat propaganda https://www.shortform.com/summary/thinking-fast-and-slow-summary-daniel-kahneman?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=531475976&msclkid=704335b2e9371134f6f7526e8cdafb8c [https://www.shortform.com/summary/thinking-fast-and-slow-summary-daniel-kahneman?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=531475976&msclkid=704335b2e9371134f6f7526e8cdafb8c]--a long web address leading to a short summary of Daniel Kahneman's book Thinking Fast and Slow https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/think-act-be/202003/can-you-be-abundantly-cautious-and-fearless [https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/think-act-be/202003/can-you-be-abundantly-cautious-and-fearless]--while this article was written about the Covid pandemic, the ideas in it still resonate https://www.neuroandcounselingcenter.com/single-post/informed-protect-peace [https://www.neuroandcounselingcenter.com/single-post/informed-protect-peace]--good ideas from certified mental health counselor Amanda Levison, about how to keep your cool and not get overwhelmed w

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1265189/open_sms] In this episode April explains some very common relevance fallacies--Straw Man, Begging the Question, and Two Wrongs Make a Right. Let's all try not to commit these fallacies, okay? Episode 38 Show Notes: https://philosophyterms.com/fallacy-of-relevance/#google_vignette [https://philosophyterms.com/fallacy-of-relevance/#google_vignette]--a handy reference website that gives basic explanations of terms related to philosophy as well as short biographies of many famous philosophers. https://www.historyextra.com/period/georgian/why-we-say-phrase-red-herring-hunting-origins/ [https://www.historyextra.com/period/georgian/why-we-say-phrase-red-herring-hunting-origins/]--a fun discussion of "red herrings" from the official website for the BBC History Magazine https://www.etymonline.com/word/straw%20man [https://www.etymonline.com/word/straw%20man]--want to know the origin of a word or common phrase? This is the website for you. https://www.rand.org/pubs/commentary/2023/10/protecting-free-speech-compels-some-form-of-social.html [https://www.rand.org/pubs/commentary/2023/10/protecting-free-speech-compels-some-form-of-social.html]--a great article about why social media needs some kind of regulation. https://effectiviology.com/begging-the-question/ [https://effectiviology.com/begging-the-question/]--this website always has clear, concise definitions and examples of fallacies. https://helpfulprofessor.com/straw-man-fallacy-examples/ [https://helpfulprofessor.com/straw-man-fallacy-examples/]--legit professors help you with your homework by answering almost any academic question you might have. https://www.britannica.com/topic/whataboutism [https://www.britannica.com/topic/whataboutism]--hey it's an encyclopedia so... https://human.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Philosophy/Introduction_to_Logic_and_Critical_Thinking_2e_(van_Cleave)/04%3A_Informal_Fallacies/4.03%3A_Fallacies_of_Relevance [https://human.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Philosophy/Introduction_to_Logic_and_Critical_Thinking_2e_(van_Cleave)/04%3A_Informal_Fallacies/4.03%3A_Fallacies_of_Relevance]--this is an entire OER (Open Educational Resource) philosophy textbook, so anyone can access and read it.

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1265189/open_sms] In this episode, April drags herself out of bed while recovering from a wicked case of Influenza A (you might notice her somewhat gravelly vocal quality) to record this episode about an important and timely topic--the language of demagoguery. While we tend to think of it as something politicians and other powerful people use, she discovers to her dismay that we are all capable of being "nascent demagogues" and using this rhetorical technique in our everyday discussions about politics. Hey, let's try not to do that, okay? Episode 37 Show Notes https://gordoncstewart.com/2023/12/05/the-language-of-demagoguery-2/ [https://gordoncstewart.com/2023/12/05/the-language-of-demagoguery-2/]Social commentator and blogger Gordon Stewart discusses how language is used for social manipulation, referencing Senator Newt Gingrich. https://feps-europe.eu/powerless-arguments-demagogue-and-populist-language/ [https://feps-europe.eu/powerless-arguments-demagogue-and-populist-language/]Robert Feustel is a researcher at Friedrich Schiller University, and this article discusses the difficulty of arguing with someone using demagogic language. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02773945.2019.1610636 [https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02773945.2019.1610636]Skinnell and Murphy's excellent article on the pervasiveness of the language of demagoguery. https://www.mediaethicsmagazine.com/index.php/browse-back-issues/209-spring-2017-vol-29-no-2/3999195-media-rhetoric-and-the-demagoguery-of-the-elite [https://www.mediaethicsmagazine.com/index.php/browse-back-issues/209-spring-2017-vol-29-no-2/3999195-media-rhetoric-and-the-demagoguery-of-the-elite]Good article by rhetorician Patricia Roberts-Miller of the University of Texas at Austin, who also wrote the book Demagoguery and Democracy. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00963402.2024.2388461#abstract [https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00963402.2024.2388461#abstract]I didn't really reference this excellent treatise about the way that demagogues destroy democracy by John Keane, but I highly recommend that you read it anyway. https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/publications/demagoguery-technology-and-cognition-addressing-the-threats-to-de [https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/publications/demagoguery-technology-and-cognition-addressing-the-threats-to-de]Stephen Lewandowsky's paper on demagoguery and how it threatens democracy. https://www.historyhit.com/culture/anti-jewish-propaganda-in-nazi-germany/ [https://www.historyhit.com/culture/anti-jewish-propaganda-in-nazi-germany/]Some examples of how the Nazis used anti-Jewish propaganda to influence German citizens. https://brainapps.io/blog/2025/01/stand-up-against-demagogy-protect/ [https://brainapps.io/blog/2025/01/stand-up-against-demagogy-protect/]This article contains some very helpful tips about how to recognize and stand up to demagogic rhetoric.