What do we think of when we think of reality? Is it what we perceive? Or what we feel?
If there is a difference between what happens in reality and what happens in our minds, in our perception, doesn't that detach us from the truth?
For example, let's have an argument with someone, at the beginning of the argument we are sure we are right, at the end of the argument the other side is right. But what if the other party is not right and has manipulated us into believing that we are wrong?
How can we understand them better?
Let's say we have started to understand them, how can we make the new things we learn better by using this method of understanding? The overlock machine is at your feet!
In this article,
- We will discuss philosophical razors used to simplify thought,
- logical fallacies to avoid falling into error,
- Feynman Technique applied to internalize knowledge without memorizing it.
Philosophical Look: Sharpening Thought with Razors
Philosophical razors are tools that we can use to see if what we are thinking is true, to cut out unnecessary thoughts.
With these razors we can purify our thinking and learn to think more accurately and logically.
So what are these philosophical razors?
Ockham's Razor
The simplest explanation is often the most accurate.
Let's take an example. We sent a message to a friend. 1 hour has passed, no reply.
When we think about the reason, let's say the possibilities are as follows:
- Our friend is upset with us, that's why he is not replying.
- His phone was silent, he couldn't see it
- He was driving a car
- He was busy with something and will reply later
- An alien abducted my friend (a little humor)
Now, when we look at these possibilities, the simplest one is that he didn't see his phone or our message. It seems most reasonable to assume that he will respond when he sees the message.
Summary: Avoid unnecessary assumptions, if there is a simple possibility, consider it first.
Hanlon's Razor
Do not attribute to evil what can be explained by stupidity.
Sometimes we come across some rude behavior. For example, we ask someone a question in a normal tone and get a rude answer that we didn't expect.
Often it makes sense that he did it on purpose, or even because he is a bad person.
But that doesn't have to be true.
Perhaps he was just inconsiderate, or he was going through a bad time.
Hanlon reminds us that some behaviors that we look for malice can actually be explained by thoughtlessness.
Hitchens' Razor
What is asserted without evidence can be refuted without evidence.
This is a concept that applies even in law, where the person who asserts a claim has the burden of proof.
If one person says something about another person - he is a naughty man, don't trust him - the first thing we need to look at is the source and evidence of this statement. If there is no source and no evidence, then it is not valid.
Otherwise, anything can be said about anyone. Such an environment would be no different from hell.
Hume's Guillotine
We cannot arrive at what ought to be by starting from what has been.
Suppose there is a crime, but everyone does it and is not punished. When someone says to us, "Don't do that crime, it's wrong," the fact that we say that everyone does it doesn't make it a crime.
Hume says: No value judgment can be derived from reality. What is and what ought to be are worlds apart.
Osho's one of my favorite sentences always reminds me of this:
Life is as it is, not as it ought to be.
Popper's Falsifiability Principle
A theory can only be considered scientific if it is falsifiable.
Before we can believe that something is true, we have to ask : "Can it turn out to be false?"
If it cannot be tested under any circumstances, the idea is not scientific; it is faith.
With this principle, Popper urges us to distinguish between sound knowledge and faith.
Sagan Standard
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.
We hear stories like this all the time: I thought of you and you wrote to me, we are officially in sync!
Yes, romantically speaking, this is a very nice feeling and it feels good.
But let's put it to the test. If we extend the time a little bit... If we say I'll think of you 3 times in the next year, let's see when you'll send me a text, all this synchronization will go down the drain.
Maybe there is synchronization between us... Maybe there isn't.
But Carl Sagan says: The more extraordinary the claim, the stronger the evidence required.
Grice's Razor
Focus on what people mean, not on what they say.
The point here is that in informal communication (conversation, interview) language is not just words, but context and intention.
When someone tells us that we have done well, they may be saying that we have not done well by changing the emphasis.
There is a similar expression in our language:
Focus on the point, not on the finger.
Grice says that in communication we need to look beyond the words.
Newton's Flaming Laser Sword
An idea that cannot be tested by observation or experiment is not even worth discussing.
It sounds a bit harsh, doesn't it?
But this razor says:
If an idea can neither be tested nor falsified, it is a waste of time to discuss it.
For example:
"Somewhere in the universe an invisible being is always watching us."
If you have no observation of it watching, if you cannot test it when it stops watching...
You cannot treat this claim as true or false because there is no measurability.
Newton defends this idea so strongly in the name of scientific thought that his metaphor is apt:
Sharp and clear as a flaming laser sword.
In short: Either produce testable knowledge, or leave conjecture aside.
Scientific Thinking: What Are We Thinking Wrong?
Our mind makes many logical errors without realizing it.
Because of these errors, we misunderstand others and ourselves.
This is why knowing logical fallacies helps us to think more clearly, more rationally.
Now let's go into some detail:
1. Ad Hominem (Attacking the Person)
Attacking the person, not the argument.
"What do you know about this? You haven't even finished university!"
If someone proves you wrong with such an argument, think again: You may not have finished university, but that doesn't preclude you from being knowledgeable about the subject.
If you are being attacked for deviating from the idea, it is a fallacy!"
2. Strawman
Twisting the other side's view and refuting it.
A: "Animal experiments are unethical."
B: "So you are saying that all medical research should stop!"
No, you are not saying that, you are dealing with someone who is trying to deflect and be right. Wake up!"
3. Appeal to Ignorance
To say that if no one has proven otherwise, it must be true.
Someone might say to you something like:
You can't say that aliens don't exist because no one has yet proved that they don't exist.
The logical fallacy here is very clear. You can prove that something exists, but you can't prove that it doesn't exist. It is an empty argument, beware.
4: Either you succeed in this job or you are a complete failure.
Think of this fallacy. Because the fact that you don't succeed in that job doesn't mean that you will fail in everything else. Faulty logic.
5. Slippery Slope
Claiming that one small step will lead to disaster.
Example:
If you don't go to school today, tomorrow you will drop out completely, you will end up accomplishing nothing.
The faulty reasoning here is very clear, you can get sick and not go to school and that in itself does not mean that you will end up accomplishing nothing. It doesn't happen unless you repeat a lot of different mistakes, so skip it.
6. Circular Reasoning (Vicious Circle)
Using the conclusion as evidence.
We should re-elect our leader because he is a good leader. But why does he get good grades?"
"Because he is smart."
"But why does he get good grades?"
"Because he is smart."
- Intelligence and grades support each other in a circular way, there is no external criterion.
If we are using as evidence something that circularly leads to the same point, we are making a logical error.
7. Hasty Generalization
Generalizing from a small number of examples.
I know two French people, both of them are rude. The French are rude.
Really. Woe to us if we can't see this logic error.
8. Red Herring (Diversion)
Diverting attention to another topic.
A: "Our budget is not enough for this project."
B: "But the other team spent a lot more money last year!"
As we can see, comparing the situations of two unconnected teams is an attempt at reasoning, which is wrong.
9. Appeal to Authority)
To accept as true because an authority says so.
For example:
This vitamin works because a doctor said so on TV.
No, the vitamin doesn't work because the doctor said so, the vitamin was already working, and the doctor shared this information with us.
But if we try everything tomorrow because some malicious authority tells us that it works, we may ignore things with wrong reasoning.
Then they use people in white coats in advertisements, and we run to buy those products. Let's not do that.
I felt the need to note this: This does not mean that the authority does not tell the truth, it just means that accepting it as true because it is the authority and ignoring other parameters is not correct, it is faulty reasoning.
10. Bandwagon (Herd Psychology)
Taking it as true because everyone else is doing it.
It has happened that we have watched a TV series and didn't like it, thinking that everyone is watching this series, it must be great!
Now we know why.
11. Post Hoc (Before-After Fallacy)
To think that what comes after an event is the result of that event.
I took the exam with my good luck necklace and passed, so the necklace must be lucky.
See what a dangerous logical error, then let's not study at all for the next exam, let's go with our good luck necklace and pass, which is out of the question, it will make you crawl.
12. False Analogy (False Similarity)
Taking two situations out of context and comparing them.
If we think that "having to send children to school is like imprisoning them" and we don't send our children to school, this logic error will condemn us to a very broken future.
Let's be careful.
13. Appeal to Emotion
Using emotion instead of logic.
Nobody will hire you for a job just because you say something like "please hire me, I am in a very difficult situation".
But if you use your logic and show the other person how you will add value to the job if you are hired, you are more likely to get the job.
Logic always wins.
14. Begging the Question (Presupposition)
Assuming from the beginning that the argument is correct.
If we say, "The butcher must have committed the murder because he knows how to use a knife!", we may punish the wrong person without directly judging, without questioning, by assuming from the beginning, using wrong reasoning. Let's not do that.
15. Loaded Question
A question that points the finger of blame no matter what the answerer says.
Example: "Have you stopped lying to your boss?"
There is a question that implies that you have lied to your boss, and whether you say yes or no, you will be admitting that you have lied to your boss.
It is essential to know how not to use faulty reasoning in order to avoid making mistakes.
16. Tu Quoque (You Did It Too)
To prove the other person wrong by showing their contradiction.
Example: "You talk about the harm of smoking, but you smoke too!"
Just because you smoke does not mean that you cannot talk about the harm of smoking. Truth is truth.
17. No True Scotsman (Not True X)
Maintaining generalization by excluding inappropriate examples.
Not true Muslims do this!
This is not saying that true Muslims do this, it is simply assuming that whether or not what is said is done by true Muslims is an invalid argument. So the argument is guided by an error in logic.
18. Appeal to Nature
Assuming that natural is better.
If you say, "I don't use chemical medicines, anything natural is good", there is a logic error here too, in some cases natural may be better, in some cases chemical may be better, but this kind of presupposition leads to a logic error.
19. Anecdotal Fallacy (Proof by Personal Experience)
Generalizing with personal examples.
"I used this product, it worked. So it will work for everyone." or "My neighbor didn't listen to the doctor and didn't wear a corset after the operation and nothing happened, nothing will happen if I don't wear it either." This perspective can lead us to the wrong thing, nothing will happen to him, but it will happen to us. I should be careful.
20. Middle Ground (Middle Ground Fallacy)
To say that the middle of two extreme views is necessarily right.
One says the earth is flat, the other says it is round. Maybe it is slightly oval? So I don't know if I need to explain this, truth is truth, taking the average does not always lead us to the truth.
Now when I explain these things like this, you may ask, but do they never reflect the truth?
What needs to be understood here is:
Summary of the Fallacy:
- False logic = Fallacy
- The conclusion may be false, it may be true
- But the argument is unreliable because the evidence is invalid.
Therefore, in philosophy, science and critical thinking, fallacies are considered misleading methods of persuasion.
Real Problems and Solutions
Sorun: Not Thinking in the Information Age
Today it is easy to get information, but difficult to sort it out.
The difference between "knowing" something and "understanding" it is being erased.
People often say:
I have memorized this, but I don't know exactly what it means.
So the solution is not only to simplify the thought, but also to learn to learn it.
Solution: The Feynman Technique to Really Learn
Physicist Richard Feynman summarized learning in these four steps:
1. Choose a Subject and Start Telling
Write down the subject you want to learn on a piece of paper. Try to explain it in simple language, as if you were explaining it to someone who knows nothing.
Rule: Avoid technical terms.
2. Identify and Learn Where You Don't Understand
Notice where you are stuck, superficial or unclear. These parts indicate that you do not fully understand the topic.
Now go back to the sources and fill in these gaps.
3. Simplify and Explain with Examples
Revise complex expressions into simpler language. Use analogies, examples from everyday life or illustrations.
Objective: The topic should now be clear enough for a 12-year-old to understand.
4. Revise and Restructure Narration
Now you have learned and simplified the topic. Now organize and streamline your narrative.
Tell it to a real person if you want, and you may notice the missing parts again.
This way, thoughts don't just stay in your head - they are reflected in your life.
Conclusion and Message to the Reader - Do You Have Your Mind's Compass?
The search for truth is not an accumulation of knowledge; it is an attitude.
Questioning, thinking, being wrong and rethinking...
The philosophical razors, fallacies and Feynman techniques you learn in this article are presented not only to help you learn better, but also to help you live more consciously.
Because:
- The simpler one thinks, the less he suffers.
- The one who recognizes fallacies is less manipulated.
- The one who learns to learn is constantly renewed.
Now you have begun to build your mental compass.
Where will it take you?
Let me leave you with a question:
What knowledge you say you "know" that you may have never actually touched?
Perhaps facing what you thought you knew is the first journey to the truth within yourself.
Because sometimes the truth is not out there... it is only hidden in another point of view.
To get to the truth, it is not enough to wield razors, avoid sophistry and learn to learn.
Because when all these tools start to work, another obstacle appears: our own mind.
Sometimes it is so difficult to change an idea, to let go of it, to update it...
It feels as if we are that idea.
It feels as if admitting that we were wrong would shake our whole identity.
Why is that?
Why is it so difficult to let go of thoughts that we have carried for years but that no longer serve us?
Why does our mind resist change?
We will pursue these questions in the next article.
Because the journey to truth is not only about understanding the outside world,it is also about breaking down the inner walls of our mind.
Till then...
Be true to yourself.
Don't lose your compass.
And stay in love.
