Shows
Read This TodayThinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel KahnemanJourney into the two systems that drive our thoughts and decisions. Discover the biases and heuristics that shape our judgment, and learn how to make smarter, more rational choices in life and business.Works Cited:Carlson, Ben. "Daniel Kahneman on Intuition." A Wealth of Common Sense.Clearer Thinking Team. "Common Cognitive Biases: A Comprehensive List With Examples." ClearerThinking.org, 30 Mar. 2023.DeLaplante, Kevin. Cognitive Biases and Their Importance for Critical Thinking. Critical Thinker Academy, 2014."Do You Use System 1 or System 2 Thinking?" Reddit, n.d. r/entp.Kahneman, Daniel. "Daniel Kahneman: Thinking, Fast and Slow @ Talks at...2025-06-2639 min
Thinking Clearly#100-Foundations and Future of Critical Thinking-with guest Kevin deLaplanteThis discussion with philosopher, former tenured professor at Iowa State University, and now independent critical thinking educator and consultant, Kevin deLaplante, revisits the importance and benefits of critical thinking in today’s post-truth world, reviews the basic skills involved with critical thinking and understanding of human cognitive vulnerabilities, while also introducing more recent ideas about human cognition like the Predictive Processing Model and Extended Mind Theory. The resources for learning and practicing critical thinking, found at Kevin’s Argument Ninja Dojo membership program, are also discussed.2024-11-2659 min
The Silicon Valley PodcastEp 236 Marketing and Critical Thinking for Business Success With John Lenker and Kevin deLaplanteGuests:
John Lenker, Marketing Strategist & Communications Artist at LENKER
Kevin deLaplante, Philosopher & Marketing Specialist at LENKER
Episode Summary:
Join us for a fascinating conversation with John Lenker and Kevin deLaplante, two experts from LENKER, as they delve into the world of marketing, critical thinking, and entrepreneurship.
John, a seasoned marketing strategist with a passion for ethical marketing, shares his insights on developing and promoting products and services that resonate with audiences. Kevin, a former philosopher turned marketing specialist, brings a unique perspective on critical thinking and decision-making in the business world.
...2024-08-1549 min
The DigitalMarketer Podcast5 Elements for Lifetime TrustDo you struggle to build lasting relationships and trust with your customers in an increasingly noisy digital world? If you're ready to transform your marketing approach and create a brand your audience will love, this episode is for you.John Lenker, Founder and Chief Vision Officer at Lenker, and Kevin deLaplante, Chief Knowledge Officer, share their groundbreaking "Follow Formula" for taking command of the customer journey and creating remarkable, comprehensible, believable, and undeniable experiences that maximize the lifetime value you deliver to your customers.Join us as John and Kevin reveal:2024-04-3040 min
Denise Griffitts - Your Partner In Success™ Radio!John Lenker and Kevin deLaplante Decoding the Consumer Dilemma Pt 2On today's show, we are diving back into Decoding the Consumer Dilemma: Navigating the Marketing Landscape Pt 2 with my guests John Lenker and Kevin deLaplante -- two visionaries who embody the belief that great ideas are humanity's most powerful resource.
In our last episode, 'Decoding the Consumer Dilemma: Navigating the Marketing Landscape Pt 1' we delved into the dynamic world of marketing as we explored innovative strategies in brand communication and marketing. Kevin's insights, drawn from his academic background in philosophy, added a unique perspective to our discussion on brand strategy and marketing research. Meanwhile, John, an e...2024-02-071h 02
Denise Griffitts - Your Partner In Success™ Radio!Lenker: Decoding the Consumer Dilemma: Navigating the Marketing Landscape Pt 2Lenker: Decoding the Consumer Dilemma: Navigating the Marketing Landscape Pt 2
Welcome to Your Partner In Success Radio, where we shine a spotlight on the incredible minds shaping the landscape of innovation. In today's episode, I’m thrilled to introduce two visionaries who epitomize the belief that good ideas are humanity's most powerful resource. Join us as we explore the inspiring journeys of John Lenker, Founder & Chief Vision Officer at LENKER, renowned for his creative prowess in brand strategy and communications artistry. John crafts experiences that not only attract and inform but also invoke a profound connection with the audience.
Alongside hi...2024-01-201h 09
Denise Griffitts - Your Partner In Success™ Radio!Lenker: Decoding the Consumer Dilemma: Navigating the Marketing LandscapeDecoding the Consumer Dilemma: Navigating the Marketing Landscape Pt 1
Welcome to Your Partner In Success Radio, where we shine a spotlight on the incredible minds shaping the landscape of innovation. In today's episode, I’m thrilled to introduce two visionaries who epitomize the belief that good ideas are humanity's most powerful resource. Join us as we explore the inspiring journeys of John Lenker, Founder & Chief Vision Officer at LENKER, renowned for his creative prowess in brand strategy and communications artistry. John crafts experiences that not only attract and inform but also invoke a profound connection with the au...2024-01-171h 08
FutureProof Advisor PodcastAmplifying Your Brand Presence with John Lenker and Kevin deLaplanteIn this episode of Bridging the Gap, Matt sits down with John Lenker, Founder and Chief Vision Officer of LENKER, Owner of Wood + Metal Fabrications LLC, and Author, and Kevin deLaplante, Ph.D., Partner and Chief Knowledge Officer at LENKER, Founder of the Critical Thinker Academy, and Founder of the Argument Ninja Dojo. From personal branding to marketing strategies, John and Kevin share their insights and experiences in building successful businesses and cultivating their own unique brands. They discuss the importance of understanding how people learn in marketing, developing authenticity, and crafting a compelling value proposition. With p...2023-11-0849 min
Med Tech GurusBe The Undeniable Solution Gurus, John Lenker Founder and Chief Vision Officer at Lenker and Kevin deLaplante, Chief Knowledge Officer at Lenker are with us. These two gents bring amazing insights into how to create a strategic brand, and the best practices behind it. They don’t stop there however; they also discuss strategies to get to clinical decision makers and how to engage them. This is a fun, informative and action-packed episode.2023-10-1856 min
Fintech ImpactLenker with John Lenker and Kevin deLaplante | E295Jason talks to John Lenker, founder and Chief Vision Officer of the marketing firm and Kevin deLaplante Partner & Chief Knowledge Officer. Lenker is a growth consulting firm that specializes in assisting early-stage startups in achieving product-market fit and establishing a recognizable brand before their launch. They emphasize on the challenges startups encounter, including a lack of market analysis and a tendency to prioritize technical development over other critical aspects of their business. Linker aims to help startups navigate these challenges and achieve their growth goals.Episode Highlights 05:19: Kevin mentions that some startups exhibit what he r...2023-10-0344 minFintech ImpactLenker with John Lenker | E295Jason talks to John Lenker, founder and Chief Vision Officer of the marketing firm and Kevin deLaplante Partner & Chief Knowledge Officer. Lenker is a growth consulting firm that specializes in assisting early-stage startups in achieving product-market fit and establishing a recognizable brand before their launch. They emphasize on the challenges startups encounter, including a lack of market analysis and a tendency to prioritize technical development over other critical aspects of their business. Linker aims to help startups navigate these challenges and achieve their growth goals.Episode Highlights 02:12: John provides insight into the company's evolution and i...2023-10-0344 min
The Medical Alley Podcast (Presented by MentorMate)Building a Strong Brand: A Conversation with John Lenker and Kevin deLaplante, LenkerLearn more about Lenker at lenker.com/medicalalley.Send us a message!Follow Medical Alley on social media on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram. 2023-08-1428 min
Vygotsky Podcast(S5,Ep1) Notes on Dialectics, 1 (bird's-eye view) (re-post)(Originally posted March 2, 2020 at http://tiny.cc/4nylsz) I am trying to understand Vygotsky's theory in a way that's easy to explain. This is harder than I had hoped. For instance, a sufficient understanding of dialectics appears to be a requirement. Here, I share helpful notes from a trusted source -- Kevin deLaplante -- with sincere thanks.
About Kevin: https://www.argumentninja.com/about2022-04-2715 min
A Tribe of OneEpisode 2: Dr. Kevin deLaplante Wants Better ConversationsOur guest on this episode is a close friend of Sapien, the inimitable Dr. Kevin deLaplante, who has had an immeasurable impact on our brand and how we think about communities and tribalism.He's currently the Chief Knowledge Officer at LENKER Consulting, but comes from an academic philosophy background, having spent 16 years in the Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies at Iowa State University. In his spare time, he also developed the Critical Thinker Academy, a video-based critical thinking training resource, and produced the Argument Ninja Podcast.We had a great conversation about why it's so h...2021-05-241h 47
The Argument Ninja PodcastTribal Literacy and Emotional IntelligenceOn this episode of the Argument Ninja podcast I share the audio from an interview I did with Brittney-Nichole Connor-Savarda for her for a new podcast, Living and Leading with Emotional Intelligence. Brittney-Nicole's show coincides with the publication of a book she's written on the topic of emotional intelligence, The EQ Deficiency. Topics discussed: How Brittney-Nichole came to be familiar with my work Definitions of tribalism and tribal psychology The evolutionary roots of tribal psychology; positive and negative aspects of tribalism Definition of polarization, and the effects of increasing polarization Why certain kinds of t...2020-10-311h 21
Living and Leading with Emotional IntelligenceLiving and Leading with Emotional Intelligence: Tribalism and EQ with Dr. Kevin deLaplanteKevin deLaplante is an independent educator and consultant specializing in critical thinking education and training for individuals, institutions and businesses. Kevin has a bachelor’s in physics, and a masters and PhD in philosophy.In this episode, Kevin and I will discuss tribalism as it relates to emotional intelligence. A few questions we will answer:- What is tribalism?- Why do we gravitate towards tribes?- What are the benefits and dangers of tribalism?- How has tribalism changes over the millennia?To find out more about Kevin deLapl...2020-10-061h 20
Vygotsky Podcast(S3,Ep9) Notes on Dialectics, 1 (bird's-eye view)I am trying to understand Vygotsky's theory in a way that's easy to explain. This is harder than I had hoped. For instance, a sufficient understanding of dialectics appears to be a requirement. Here, I share helpful notes from a trusted source -- Kevin deLaplante -- with sincere thanks. (Originally published Mar 2, 2020)
About Kevin: https://kevindelaplante.com/about/2020-08-0715 minVygotsky Podcast(S5,Ep1) Notes on Dialectics, 1 (bird's-eye view)I am trying to understand Vygotsky's theory in a way that's easy to explain. This is harder than I had hoped. For instance, a sufficient understanding of dialectics appears to be a requirement. Here, I share helpful notes from a trusted source -- Kevin deLaplante -- with sincere thanks. (Originally published March 2, 2020 at http://tiny.cc/4nylsz)
About Kevin: https://www.argumentninja.com/about2020-07-3115 minThe Argument Ninja Podcast3 Honest Updates: On Failure, Living With a Stutter, and Accepting My Comfort ZoneOn this episode of the Argument Ninja podcast I talk openly about why this is the first new episode I've produced in 7 months, and the lessons I'm learning as a life-long stutterer. https://kevindelaplante.com/3-honest-updates Timestamps 00:00 - 03:12 Introduction 03:12 - 05:23 The move and web consolidation update 05:23 - 07:24 Failing at the one thing I set out to do 07:24 - 13:49 Experiments, consulting side-gigs, and coaching 13:40 - 18:12 Argument Ninja video community meetings—motivations and lessons learned 18:12 - 33:34 My history as a stutterer, and how it's influenced my work ...2020-04-051h 07
Nationalism and the Culture Wars podcastTheories of Polarization: Kevin Delaplante SummaryOn this episode of the Argument Ninja podcast I talk about the difficulty of judging how much we really understand about the causes of complex social phenomena—even if we do lots of research and self-study.
To help make the case I’m continuing my survey of different theories of the causes of the increase in social polarization that we’re currently experiencing.
On this episode I look specifically at the work of two social scientists who have written extensively on this topic:
Karen Stenner on the “authoritarian” personality type. Her 2005 book The Authoritarian Dynamic can be read as predicting the expans...2019-09-111h 09The Argument Ninja PodcastUnderstanding Complex Social Phenomena: More Theories of the Causes of Social PolarizationOn this episode of the Argument Ninja podcast I talk about the difficulty of judging how much we really understand about the causes of complex social phenomena—even if we do lots of research and self-study. To help make the case I’m continuing my survey of different theories of the causes of the increase in social polarization that we’re currently experiencing. On this episode I look specifically at the work of two social scientists who have written extensively on this topic: Karen Stenner on the “authoritarian” personality type. Her 2005 book The Authoritarian Dynamic can...2019-08-281h 09The Argument Ninja PodcastUpdates and a Street Epistemology InterviewOn episode 035 of the Argument Ninja podcast I share updates on new course development over at kevindelaplante.com, and I share both the audio and the video of a one-hour interview I did with the hosts of the Epistemic podcast, which focuses on "street epistemology". Click to view the video interview on YouTube (full URL: https://youtu.be/rHQYHUksJFk) Timestamps: 0:56 - Topics discussed in the interview 2:15 - New courses in development on kevindelaplante.com 4:37 - How I'm pitching the new courses 5:12 - First course: Be...2019-04-171h 14
The Street Epistemology PodcastEp 329: Show | Epistemic 25 | Critical Thinking with Kevin DeLaplanteDate Recorded: 21 March 2019
Date Released: 10 April 2019
Summary: Anthony, Reid and Dan sit down with Kevin DeLaplante from Argument Ninja to discuss the Critical Thinking and it's relationship with Street Epistemology.
Watch video here: https://youtu.be/rHQYHUksJFk
News, tips, strategies, stories, and more. A friendly discussion about Street Epistemology between people intimately familiar with the method. With Anthony, Reid, and Dan.
Playlist of All Episodes of 'Epistemic': http://tinyurl.com/SE-SE-EPISTEMIC
Kevin DeLaplante's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/PhilosophyFreak
Reid Nicewonder's Cordial Curiosity YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/cordialcurious
ObjectivelyDan's YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel...2019-04-111h 14The Argument Ninja PodcastUnderstanding the Causes of Polarization (Part 1): Depolarization InitiativesIn episode 024 of the Argument Ninja Podcast I'm starting a series of episodes that will explore different models of the causes of social and political polarization, and introduce some general principles for thinking critically about complex social phenomena like polarization. In this episode (Part 1) I examine models of polarization and social change that are implicit in the depolarization strategies of three different depolarizing initiatives: Better Angels, AllSides, and OpenMind. https://kevindelaplante.com/034-understanding-the-causes-of-polarization-part-1/ Timestamps: 00:00 Why I'm doing a multi-part series on understanding the causes of polarization 06:46 Ideological polarization and ev...2019-03-0650 min
EdSurge PodcastThe Professor Who Quit His Tenured Job to Make Podcasts and Lecture VideosListen to the EdSurge On Air podcast? We want to hear from you! Fill out this five-minute survey, and you can enter to win a $100 Amazon gift card. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/edsurgepodcast
What’s life like after quitting a tenured job as a professor to become a freelance educator, making video courses and podcasts for a living?
That’s one question we had for Kevin deLaplante, who did just that when he left Iowa State University in 2015 to focus on running his Argument Ninja Podcast and teaching courses on his online Critical Thinker Academy, both aimed at bringing conc...2019-01-2937 minThe Argument Ninja PodcastCritical Thinking About ConspiraciesOn this episode of the Argument Ninja Podcast I'm presenting edited versions of last three episodes of my first podcast show that I produced in 2010-11. These were the last episodes I produced of that podcast series, and I discuss why in the introduction. The last three episodes were on the subject of conspiracies and conspiracy theories. https://kevindelaplante.com/033-critical-thinking-about-conspiracies/ Topics discussed in this episode include: the definition of a conspiracy, and a conspiracy theory local vs global conspiracies default skepticism about conspiracies 9-11, the Moon Landings, the New World Order...2019-01-1156 minThe Argument Ninja PodcastWhen Tribalism Becomes PathologicalOn this episode of the Argument Ninja podcast I share the audio for the three videos I recently produced on Cognitive Biases, Tribalism and Politics. It was designed as one long video presenting one long argument, so the audio works well in this continuous format. Show notes and links: https://kevindelaplante.com/032-when-tribalism-becomes-pathological Topics covered: the "two movies" phenomenon (Scott Adams) the distinction between "psychological" value pluralism and "philosophical" value pluralism what is affect bias? what is cultural cognition? your "value channel profile" what is the focusing illusion? what is availability bias? w...2018-12-1940 minThe Argument Ninja PodcastNew Cartoon Videos Plus a Fall 2018 UpdateOn this episode of the Argument Ninja podcast I talk about the three new videos I recently produced on Cognitive Biases, Tribalism and Politics, and I give an update on what's been keeping me busy this fall. Timestamps: Intro 00:00 What have I been up to? 01:24 Creating new videos 01:53 Keynote presenting at a conference in November 02:11 Consulting work 02:54 New tribalism videos 07:55 Inspiration for the videos 08:52 Findings of the "Hidden Tribes" report 09:48 The overall argument of the videos 12:43 Lessons learned from producing content in different formats for different platforms 20:54 Creating a new video course based on the tribalism a...2018-12-1126 minThe Argument Ninja PodcastBehind the Scenes of My New Video CourseOn this episode I talk about the genesis of my new video course, "The Vocabulary of Science: First Steps to Science Literacy", and my decision to start producing the Argument Ninja podcast in both audio and video formats. Next episode will be an "Ask Me Anything" episode. You can submit questions at this URL: https://kevindelaplante.com/ama Listeners can access the video course at the Critical Thinker Academy or on Udemy. Follow the links below: At the Critical Thinker Academy (included in the site-wide subscription for as low as $3/month): https://c...2018-09-1016 minThe Argument Ninja PodcastHow to Raise a Critical ThinkerOn this episode of the Argument Ninja podcast I talk about the importance of critical thinking education for kids and teens, and what parents can do to help their kids become better critical thinkers. *** In This Episode: (0:00 - 4:57) Introduction (4:57 - 8:51) Critical Thinking Values (8:51 - 12:58) Why This Matters Even More to Young People (12:58 - 15:27) The Light Side and the Dark Side (15:27 - 16:25) The Martial Context of Critical Thinking (16:25 - 19:00) Social Media, Commercial Digital Culture and the Martial Context of Critical Thinking (19:00 - 22:42...2018-08-0352 minThe Argument Ninja PodcastTribalism Isn't the ProblemOn this episode I’ve got an interview lined up for you that I did with Bob Froehlich, who hosts the Thinking Clearly radio program and podcast over at KMUD community radio in Redway, California. Our topic was critical thinking and tribalism, very much in the vein of what I’ve been talking about in my recent sketchbook video series titled, appropriately, "Critical Thinking and Tribalism". (To see the first three videos in this series, follow the links in the show notes below). If you’ve been following my work a certain amount of thi...2018-06-1252 minThinking Clearly#24-The Effect of Tribalism and Polarization on Critical ThinkingThe words "tribalism" and "polarization" have become commonplace when describing recent sociopolitical trends in America. Host Bob Froehlich and guest, Philosopher, Podcaster and Master Teacher Kevin deLaplante, discuss the psychology of tribalism and the effect of increased polarization on critical thinking.2018-06-0855 minThe Argument Ninja PodcastUpdates: Finances, Projects and PlansOver the past month almost every email conversation I’ve had with someone about my projects and plans has ended with “I’m going to talk about this on the next podcast”. In this episode I’m going to answer the most common questions I get about the status of my finances, what my plans are to improve my situation in 2018, what video courses I’m developing for Udemy, and where we are with the development of the Argument Ninja Academy. If you’re interested in entrepreneurship and making a living online doing what you love, I think...2018-05-0832 minThe Argument Ninja PodcastFeminism, Marxism, Postmodernism and Jordan Peterson: Sometimes the Only Winning Move is Not to PlayOn this episode of the Argument Ninja podcast I offer a perspective on Jordan Peterson's criticism of left-wing ideology (what he calls "cultural Marxism") by sharing some of my intellectual history with feminism, Marxism and postmodernism. The broader theme of this episode is how to critically engage with ideas without being sucked into the tribal psychology of ideological conflict. Show notes and links: https://kevindelaplante.com/026-jordan-peterson Support the podcast on Patreon: https://patreon.com/kevindelaplante In This Episode: (0:00 - 3:10) Introductory remarks (3:10 - 6:10) Introduction to Jordan Peterson...2018-03-271h 16The Argument Ninja PodcastWhy Tribal Literacy?On this episode of the Argument Ninja podcast I talk about TRIBALISM and the challenges that our tribal psychology poses for critical thinking. This episode includes the audio for two sketchbook videos I've done on this topic, "The Dangers of Tribalism" (11 minutes) and "Our Tribal Intelligence" (13 minutes), with additional commentary not found in those videos. I give time stamps below to help you navigate the episode if you've already watched those videos. Show notes and links: https://kevindelaplante.com/025-why-tribal-literacy/ Support the podcast on Patreon: https://patreon.com/kevindelaplante (0:00 - 1:45) Introductory remarks. ...2018-03-0150 minThe Argument Ninja PodcastHow Commerce Became a Tool For Getting Outside My HeadAt the beginning of a new year it’s customary to reflect on events of the past year in order to set new goals and chart a course for the future. This is the first in a three-part series where I discuss the lessons I've learned in 2017. In this episode I talk about the surprising role that commerce has played in raising the relevance and impact of my work as a critical thinking educator, and other positive highlights of 2017.2018-01-1019 min
The Argument Ninja PodcastThe Argument Ninja Difference: Why Critical Thinking is a Martial ArtI’m not the only one talking about the failings of traditional schooling. I’m not the only academic talking about developing online courses for the public that they can’t find anywhere else. I’m not even the only one using the language of martial arts in this context. (e.g. Jordan Peterson, Thaddeus Russell, Mixed Mental Arts ....) But I realize that even among my audience, it may not be clear how the Argument Ninja Academy is supposed to stand out -- how it’s different from what I’m seeing in these other projects. In this ep...2017-10-3149 min
The Argument Ninja Podcast022 - Thinking Clearly About Critical Thinking: Interview with Kevin deLaplanteFor this episode I’m going to share an interview I did for Thinking Clearly, a radio show about critical thinking hosted by Bob Froelich and Julia Minton. On this live broadcast I answered questions about - my particular take on what critical thinking is and why it’s important - why I decided to leave my tenured academic job and go solo - what video courses I offer at the Critical Thinker Academy - what is wrong with traditional approaches to critical thinking education - what’s different about what I’m trying to do with the Argument Ninja program...2017-09-1153 minThinking Clearly#15-New Approaches to Learning the Process of Critical Thinking with guest Dr. Kevin deLaplanteThis episode goes in depth about critical thinking with guest Dr. Kevin deLaplante, creator of the Critical Thinker Academy and Argument Ninja Academy and focuses on new developments in critical thinking, the importance of thinking critically and resources for further skill development.2017-09-0958 min
The Argument Ninja Podcast021 - What if Sam Harris and Scott Adams Had a Baby?On this episode I use a recent episode of Sam Harris's podcast (#87 - "Triggered: A Conversation With Scott Adams") as a springboard for exploring a variety of topics related to critical thinking and persuasive communication. When it comes to critical thinking and rational persuasion, half of my brain thinks like Sam Harris, and the other half thinks like Scott Adams. Each gets something right that the other doesn’t. I’m interested in identifying what each of them gets right, as a step toward creating something that is better than each of them separately, by integrating their strengths and avoiding their...2017-09-041h 31
The Argument Ninja Podcast020 - Critical Thinking in ChinaThis past month I was fortunate to be a guest of Xidian University in China for two weeks. On this episode of the podcast I share stories and reflections from my adventures as a first-time visitor to China, and I give an overview of some of the public talks and lectures I gave during my visit. The episode has four distinct parts. The first 20 minutes is stories from my trip and observations about Chinese culture. Then there are three discussions on philosophy, science and critical thinking topics: (00 min -20 min) stories from my trip and observations about Chinese culture (20 min...2017-07-2455 min
History Unplugged PodcastCan You Explain the 1915 Armenian Genocide?Today's question comes to us from Kevin deLaplante, creator of the Critical Thinker Academy and host of the Argument Ninja Podcast. Can you tell me about the 1915 Armenian Genocide and why today's political leaders (such as Barack Obama) are hesitant to describe it as such? TO HELP OUT THE SHOW Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes or StitcherSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.2017-06-1513 min
The Argument Ninja Podcast019 – Understanding Your Divided Mind: Kahneman, Haidt and GreeneArgument Ninjas need to acquire a basic understanding of the psychology of human reasoning. This is essential for improving the quality of our own reasoning, and for mastering skills in communication and persuasion. On this episode I take you on a guided tour of our divided mind. I compare and contrast the dual-process theories of Daniel Kahneman (Thinking, Fast and Slow), Jonathan Haidt (The Righteous Mind) and Joshua Greene (Moral Tribes). The simple mental models these authors use should be part of every critical thinker's toolbox. My other goal with this episode is to help listeners think more critically about...2017-05-311h 01
The Argument Ninja Podcast018 - Why We Need the Argument Ninja Academy (Interview)A bit of a departure for episode 018. I hope you enjoy this interview I did with Jason Vidaurri over at the StoryHinge podcast. He was kind enough to let me repurpose the audio of our interview for the Argument Ninja podcast. On this episode I answer questions about my story, my approach to philosophy and critical thinking, why critical thinking is valuable and important, how our media environment is making it increasingly difficult to think critically for ourselves, what I think is the most glaring omission in standard approaches to critical thinking education, and why the martial arts model of...2017-05-2758 min
The Argument Ninja Podcast017 - White Belt Curriculum (Part 2) - The Tao of SocratesIn episode 017 I give an update on what's new at the Argument Ninja website (argumentninja.com), and I complete the overview of the white belt curriculum for the Argument Ninja Academy program. The third and fourth learning modules in the white belt curriculum are titled "Socratic Knowledge" and "Socratic Persuasion". I also develop a persuasion case study in this episode: Do Christians and Muslims worship the same God? In This Episode: - Preparing for an upcoming talk on cognitive biases and causal reasoning (2:47) - The Feynman Technique (5:10) - Why the Argument Ninja podcast is like a novel, and the Argument...2017-04-031h 08
The Argument Ninja Podcast016 - White Belt Curriculum (Part 1)The Argument Ninja training program that I'm developing is inspired by martial arts training principles. The curriculum is spread over nine belt ranks (white belt, yellow belt, orange belt, etc. ) In this episode I give an overview of the learning modules that make up the white belt curriculum, and dive deep into the second module, an introduction to Argument Analysis. In This Episode: Overview of the White Belt Modules (2:20) Module 1: What is an Argument Ninja? (4:20) The Goals of Critical Thinking (4:56) We Have a Problem (5:41) Solution: The Argument Ninja Academy (6:47) Module 2: Argument Analysis (I) (8:35) Worry: No One Talks Like This (9:00) It's...2017-02-1932 min
The Argument Ninja Podcast015 - The White Belt ExperienceIn this episode I explore learning and teaching techniques used in the martial arts, from the perspective of the beginning student and from the perspective of the experienced instructor. I extract a number of important training principles from this exercise that I hope to incorporate in the Argument Ninja training program. In This Episode: Review: What is "Rational Persuasion"? (2:30) Reminder: Our Children Are Watching (7:20) The White Belt Experience (10:00) Training for Skill Development: Analysis, Synthesis, Repetition, and Internalization (13:00) Training for Combat: Objectives, Strategy and Tactics (17:30) Training Through Time: Cumulative, Incremental Progress (25:15) Training with Inspiration: "Beginner's Mind" (30:30) Summing Up (37:45) The Instructional Design...2017-01-1350 min
The Argument Ninja Podcast014 - Curiosity and Critical ThinkingOn this episode I talk about the various ways that curiosity is an undervalued resource for critical thinking. I explain how curiosity plays an important role in generating the kind of background knowledge that supports critical thinking, and why it has important and underrated debiasing properties, meaning that it can reduce many of the harmful effects of cognitive biases on our thinking. I’m also going to talk about my personal relationship to curiosity, and how it has influenced many of the decisions I’ve made in my career. In This Episode: Knowledge is not compartmentalized (3:40) Curiosity is a resource for...2016-12-2335 min
The Argument Ninja Podcast013 - Avatars for Critical Thinking (Brainstorming the Argument Ninja Academy)In this episode I talk about how the program I'm developing for the Argument Ninja Academy will differ from the Critical Thinker Academy, and outline my instructional design goals for the new program. I also describe the kinds of personality types, or "avatars", that are most strongly attracted to this kind of material. I've named these avatars the Scientist, the Philosopher, the Persuader, the Analyst, and the Butterfly. In This Episode: - The difference between what I'm currently offering at the Critical Thinker Academy and what I plan to offer at the Argument Ninja Academy - Brainstorming the design of...2016-12-0947 min
The Argument Ninja Podcast012 - Trump, Persuasion and HypnosisThis is the first episode since Donald Trump won the election, so you know I've got to talk about Trump! In this episode I take up the question that Scott Adams has framed for us: is Donald Trump some kind of "master persuader" who uses persuasion techniques familiar to anyone trained in hypnosis? And is this the reason why he won the election? In This Episode: - Help me build the Argument Ninja Academy - Scott Adams on Donald Trump: Master Persuader - "Pacing and leading", Milton Erickson and hypnosis - Confusion and hypnotic suggestibility - Confusion and self-defense...2016-11-2646 min
The Argument Ninja Podcast011 - Help Me Build a Candle in the DarknessThis is a big episode. I give a big-picture overview of where I'm going with the Argument Ninja podcast, brainstorm a new Argument Ninja training program, and give readers an opportunity to get in on the ground floor of this project. In This Episode: - How my views on critical thinking have changed sinced I produced the Critical Thinker podcast in 2010, and where the Argument Matrix podcast is going. - Why I'm jealous of martial arts studios, and I brainstorm what a walk-in critical thinking studio might look like. - I describe an online critical thinking studio, a structured Argument...2016-11-0344 min
The Argument Ninja Podcast010 - How to Build an Argument MatrixLast episode I introduced an important concept for critical thinking, what I call an Argument Matrix. In this episode I talk about the mindset, the tools and the literacy skills that are required to successfully build an Argument Matrix. In This Episode: - Recap: What is an Argument Matrix? - How should we go about building an Argument Matrix? - Three parts to my answer (1) Mindset issues: confirmation bias, psychological barriers, fear (2) Technology issues: capturing and organizing the right kind of information (3) Literacy issues: media and information literacy, argument literacy, reading and writing literacy - Why public education doesn't teach...2016-10-2729 minThe Argument Ninja Podcast009 - The Argument Matrix (or, How to Know What You're Talking About)In this episode I introduce an important concept, the Argument Matrix, and two related concepts associated with the Argument Matrix, “argumentative depth” and “argumentative breadth”. These concepts are central to my views on the important role of background knowledge in critical thinking. Or to put it more plainly, they’re central to my understanding of what it means to really know what you’re talking about. In This Episode: - How do we know that we know what we're talking about? - Critical thinking education's Dirty Little Secret (critical thinking can't be taught) - The definition of an argument - Basic prin...2016-10-0736 minThe Argument Ninja Podcast008 - Mixed Martial Arts for Argument NinjasIf we think of rational persuasion as a martial art, what kind of martial art should it be? In this episode I argue that a mixed martial arts approach is the only one that makes sense. But there’s a problem. Philosophical principles play an obvious and important role in traditional martial arts practices, like Taekwondo. They don’t seem to play an important role in mixed martial arts (or if they do, it’s not obvious.) An MMA program for Argument Ninjas needs a philosophy grounded in core critical thinking principles. In this episode I explore these issues. - The...2016-09-1435 min
The Argument Ninja Podcast007 - When Rational Debate is ImpossibleWhen is it worth your time to try to have a rational conversation with someone? When should you give up? What are the conditions that have to be satisfied for a rational conversation to even be possible? That's the topic of this episode. Overview: - the problem that Sam Harris is struggling with - a Q&A question from Essi on what to do when people “just don’t get it” - my original answer to the question “what conditions must be satisfied to have a rational conversation with someone?” - my first amendment: (1) what to do after you’ve recognize...2016-08-2922 minThe Argument Ninja Podcast006 - Defense Against the Dark Arts II - Seduce and DestroyIn this episode we look at persuasion through the eyes of seduction experts and the pickup artist community. - why critical thinking educators need to talk about persuasion - why scientific rationality is a social achievement that takes effort and vigilance to maintain - preparing students for life outside the dojo - summarizing our list of persuasion topics - Ross Jeffries as pioneer of the seduction community - NLP, hypnosis and "speed seduction" - Tom Cruise, Frank T.J. Mackey, and "Seduce and Destroy" - the seduction community's approach to the science of persuasion - the difficulty of answering...2016-08-2221 minThe Argument Ninja Podcast005 - Defense Against the Dark Arts - Part IIf I was asked to teach a graduate seminar in the philosophy and methods of persuasion, how would I organize the content? What would my syllabus look like? In this episode I answer that question, and start working my way down the syllabus (we cover the first two items in this episode). Here are the topic categories on my syllabus: 1. people skills 2. selling and marketing skills 3. seduction skills (including "pickup artist" skills) 4. magic and mind reading skills 5. confidence games and the skills of the con artist 6. persuasion in advertising 7. persuasion in politics 8. persuasion in the internet age 9. power and...2016-08-1324 minThe Argument Ninja Podcast004 - The Classroom is My DojoIn this episode I explore reasons why standard critical thinking textbooks say almost nothing about the psychology of human reasoning and persuasion. Topics include: - argumentation as rhetoric vs argumentation as tool for philosophical reasoning - why Plato was so hard on the Sophists - what it was like being socialized into philosophy as a student - the martial arts training hall as a ritualized space - why the classroom is like a dojo for training in the martial art of rational argumentation - understanding the rules inside the dojo vs the rules outside the dojo - argumentation and...2016-08-0530 minThe Argument Ninja Podcast003 - How to Make People Like YouIs it ever okay to intentionally use unconscious persuasion techniques to get people to like you? We explore this case study in the ethics of persuasion as we follow Derek and Carla on a lunch date. We also discuss persuasion ninjas Dale Carnegie and Robert Cialdini's principles for getting someone to like you, and lessons from South Park on how to get bigger tips.2016-07-2819 minThe Argument Ninja Podcast002 - Why Rational Persuasion is a Martial ArtIn this episode I talk about the relationship between critical thinking and rational persuasion, and why, even though I identify as a critical thinking educator, and I have a website called The Critical Thinker Academy, the focus of this podcast is rational persuasion, rather than critical thinking more broadly. In this episode I push the martial arts theme a little further, and give some reasons to think of rational persuasion as a martial art. And finally, I give an example that illustrates the distinction I want to draw between rational argumentation and rational persuasion.2016-07-2121 minThe Argument Ninja Podcast001 - Welcome and Introduction to the ShowWelcome and introduction to the show. What has drawn me out of podcast retirement to start a new show. Scott Adams on Donald Trump, and the sorry state of political discourse today. Why critical thinking education needs both a theory of how we ought to reason, and a theory of how we in fact reason. Reasons to think of rational persuasion as a martial art.2016-07-1517 min
Critical Wit PodcastCritical Wit #10 – The Art & Science Of Critical ThinkingIn this episode, I talk with Dr. Kevin deLaplante, a Professor and Chair of the Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies at Iowa State University. We’ll discuss his work online at The Critical Thinker Academy, an educational resource that teaches critical thinking. And Kevin breaks down five elements of critical thinking; logic, argumentation, rhetoric, background […]2011-06-0200 min