In my latest podcast conversation with Philosophy Professor Deb Brown, I learned about the Critical Thinking Project run out of the University of Queensland. This is much needed in these confusing times, in which no one trusts politicians or traditional media sources, and there is intense polarisation and debate over even basic facts, augmented by social media filter bubbles. 

The Critical Thinking Project, led by Deb, has been working with state and private schools and organisations such as Brisbane City Council and the Australian Defence Force, to improve critical thinking skills. It all begins with actually thinking about how we think, how we know what we know, something referred to as metacognition. It’s a technique we’ve known about for centuries, indeed at least since Descartes developed his Method of Doubt in the first half of the 1600s, as Deb explains to me and my occasional co-host Tim Hughes in episode 123 of Economics Explored.  

We started our conversation with Deb by asking her about her comments in a December ABC News article Is telling the truth too much to ask of our politicians?:

…when public officials lie, that’s really high-stakes lying. because that undermines the fundamental relationship of authority between people and their elected officials, which is at the heart of the legitimacy of the state.

Very true. Unfortunately we live in an age of interminable BS. So it’s incredibly important to develop critical thinking skills so we can all cut through it. So I can highly recommend my latest podcast episode with Professor Deb Brown. If you listen to it, please let me know what you think. 

Please feel free to comment below. Alternatively, you can email comments, questions, suggestions, or hot tips to contact@queenslandeconomywatch.com. Also please check out my Economics Explored podcast, which has a new episode each week.