The Certainty Trap: Why We Need to Question Ourselves More—and How We Can Judge Others Less

by Ilana Redstone, Joe Walsh (foreword)

When we're in the Certainty Trap, we tend to view people who disagree with us as hateful, ignorant, or just plain stupid. When it comes to heated social and political issues in particular, many of us know this feeling well—a consuming state of righteous indignation and moral outrage. And this response makes sense because our very certainty tells us that there are simple and obvious causes and solutions to the hot-button issues we care about most. But the things we care about the most are—far more often than not—morally and ethically complex. If the problems that divide us are inherently complicated, then a sense that the answers are obvious—and that anyone who disagrees must be deficient in some way—is misplaced. It's an oversimplification that both leads to and reflects faulty thinking. When we're certain, we not only fail to recognize the possibility that we're wrong but also fail to be clear about the principles and values that drive our disagreement in the first place. By committing to challenging and clarifying our thinking—by avoiding the trap certainty sets for us—we can increase social trust, reduce political polarization, and better address the world's pressing challenges.
 

266 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 2, 2024

Reviews

[Mikhael Hayes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this on recommendation from a friend who knows the author. The friend got a lot of insight from it, but he felt like I might not learn many new lessons. He was right. Most of the deconstruction of certainty and the reinforcement of humility in this book can be cultivated in a high school literature class, which is what happened for me. Even in the middle of rural, conservative Indiana, people really are learning to stop and just consider other folks’ motivations and reevaluating how certainly we can assess the intent of an interlocutor. I have a hard time believing that this book will transform too many people. The people who are open to the idea of climbing out of certainty (while remaining confident) are probably not the ones who need to read this.

Instead, the people who would profit a lot from this book probably wouldn’t take a recommendation to read a book of this one’s nature. Kind of a catch-22. You can tell that’s who Redstone is writing to because one in three pages includes some kind of COA, some defense of an abstraction because there are people who will miss the abstract point and zero in on the irl example.

[Sekar Writes · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main points of The Certainty Trap are:

1. The Dangers of Certainty: Our need to always be right has divided us, increasing political polarization, distrust, and moral outrage. Redstone argues that blind certainty traps us in narrow thinking and self-righteousness. This mindset divides us and stifles curiosity, making us less open to new ideas.
2. The Power of Intellectual Humility: Redstone encourages us to embrace intellectual humility and recognize that our beliefs could be wrong. He explains that even scientific knowledge isn't absolute; it’s always evolving. By questioning our own certainty, we can build trust, improve our interactions, and gain a deeper understanding of one another.

While these are the book's main ideas, they feel scattered and repetitive. Redstone often revisits similar points across different chapters, making the content feel less focused. Although examples like racism and cultural appropriation are compelling, they lose impact due to the repetition of the same ideas introduced early on.

In today’s society, The Certainty Trap is a valuable read for those concerned about our direction and willing to re-examine their beliefs. Redstone's insights encourage a shift from rigid thinking to a more open-minded approach, which can help us address complex social issues with empathy and curiosity. I'd give it 5 stars if it were more concise and structured.