It’s a simple yet powerful thought: what we see might not be the same as what is, and in fact what we see has as much to do with what’s in front of us as our own nature as observers. Plato believed fervently that education and intellectual refinement were humankind’s highest virtue and redeemer. But it all begins with the ability to recognize your

Mental flexibility, critical thinking, the ability to reflexively see yourself think and adjust given incomplete information—these are the things that make a person intelligent.

What are the differences between what we think we know and what we do actually know—and how could we ever measure the distance between the two?

our conceptions of reality are not identical with reality. Maps are, necessarily, simplified

Any time we deliberately manipulate conditions around us and carefully note the outcome, we are doing an experiment. Granted, not every experiment is going to be rigorous or perfectly sound! Nevertheless, experimentation is a method of patterning and understanding our encounters with the world. The concept behind this book is that some of the best

When was the last time you truly considered your alternatives, or any potential gaps or errors in your thinking? It can be one of the most difficult but also most illuminating exercises: What if you’re wrong, or only seeing a tiny part of the truth? What if your ideal solution is invisible to you right now?

In considering any argument or point of view, ask yourself: How would the world have to be if my theory were true? Is the world that way? What does my argument imply? Are the implications desirable/logical/true? And if not, does it invalidate my original argument?

CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, is a little like having a mini skeptic on your shoulder. If

a way, asking what our tools can’t do makes them more effective than merely assuming they can do it all, and then being proven wrong when we attempt to use them to solve problems they can’t solve.