The Irrational Ape: Why Flawed Logic Puts us all at Risk and How Critical Thinking Can Save the World

by David Robert Grimes

Scepticism is implicit in the scientific method, the very lens we use to interrogate the universe. But it’s every bit as fundamental to our political and societal health too. Without it, we cannot hope to question the assertions of those in power or those seeking power. If we do not know to ask for evidence or what constitutes reliable information, we are powerless against the whims of the demagogues, dictators and charlatans who would seek to exploit us. Without healthy scepticism, we are malleable to manipulation, weaponised to dire ends. Bereft of the protection against fanaticism that analytical thought brings, we are vulnerable to those who would deceive us. Our history is littered with reminders of just how terrible the consequences of this can be.