The Bias That Divides Us: The Science and Politics of Myside Thinking

The Bias That Divides Us by Keith E. Stanovich is a book that explores the concept of myside bias, which is the tendency for individuals to only look for information that confirms their existing beliefs and opinions, while dismissing or disregarding information that contradicts them. The author argues that this cognitive bias is a key factor in the growing political polarization and mistrust of science and experts in today's society.

Throughout the book, Stanovich uses scientific research and evidence to demonstrate how myside bias is a common and pervasive problem that affects people regardless of their intelligence or education level. He also examines how this bias can manifest in different domains, such as politics, religion, and science, and how it can lead to a "bias blind spot" where people believe they are being rational and unbiased, while in reality they are being influenced by their own myside biases.

The author argues that one of the key drivers behind political polarization is the myside bias and the bias blind spot, which makes it hard for people to agree on facts, truth, and reality. He also investigates the role of this cognitive bias in the decline of trust in university research as a neutral arbiter, and how this can affect the ability of society to solve important problems.

In The Bias That Divides Us, Stanovich provides a sobering assessment of the human mind's limitations and how it affects our ability to think critically, rationally and objectively. He also offers suggestions on how to overcome this myside bias to be more open-minded, less polarized, and to be more effective at solving the problems that confront us.
---Sinopse by ChatGPT

Filosofia / Psicologia