Smart and accomplished individuals, sometimes even scientists, often support outrageous and unsubstantiated claims. For skeptics, it is important to understand why even intelligent people often think and behave irrationally.
This year’s Skeptic’s Toolbox will look at examples of such wrongheaded thinking in medicine, science, finance, and other areas of human endeavor. Both the faculty and the participants will explore the various factors that contribute to bad reasoning by otherwise smart people.
The Skeptic's Toolbox is a Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI) and Center for Inquiry (CFI) workshop at the Living Learning Center in Eugene, Oregon, Thursday, Aug. 11–Sunday, August 14. Journalists' contributions to irrational thinking, rediscovering witchcraft, and innocent jokes that provide serious consequences are just a few of the areas of mistaken thought processes that will be covered. Learn more about the four-day conference; view the complete schedule and registration.