In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Joe Pierre discuss the phenomenon of false beliefs, as explored in his book, False. Joe explains the distinction between clinical delusions and delusion-like beliefs, emphasizing the continuum of belief conviction and the role of motivated reasoning. He highlights the impact of political affiliation on belief spread and the concept of "suicide by false belief." Joe also discusses the importance of intellectual humility, cognitive flexibility, and analytical thinking in combating misinformation. He notes Finland's success in addressing misinformation through societal education and advocates for a similar approach to foster a culture of truth.

Key Takeaways:

• There is a spectrum of conviction when we are discussing delusion-like beliefs - such as conspiracy theories.

• Misinformation refers to information that isn't true. Disinformation is usually used to mean deliberate misinformation. Knowing the difference can be tricky because it relies on knowing the intent of the person spreading the misinformation.

• The Holy Trinity of Truth Detection is something people can learn and adopt - they aren't always intuitive. They must be learned and valued for people to adopt them.

"False beliefs always have at least the potential for harm. They don't always cause harm, but they certainly carry the risk of harm. And these days, because of some of the false beliefs that are going around - like beliefs about vaccines or climate change denialism - I sometimes refer to what's going on right now as suicide by false belief, because these beliefs really are potentially dangerous." — Dr. Joe Pierre

Connect with Dr. Joe Pierre:

Professional Bio: https://drjoepierre.com/index.php/about/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/psychunseen/

Website: https://drjoepierre.com/

Book: https://drjoepierre.com/index.php/false/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-pierre-1b33469/

Connect with Therese:

Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net

Threads: @critically_speaking

Email: [email protected]

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