Three Common Errors in Thinking

Humans beings like to make things easier for ourselves. Therefore we take away the chance of thinking critically to provide an explanation for our questions because we often tend to fall victim to commonplace errors in thinking. There are three that are most utilized on a day-to-day basis. Three errors in thinking that are the most prosaic -- preferring stories to statistics, seeking to confirm, and arguing from ignorance -- can also be easily avoided.

The first error thinking is that of placing a higher value in stories over statistics. To begin with, people trust stories and not statistics, simple. This can happen because, as people, we have a strong inclination to pay close attention to any information that comes to us in the form of the story. Humans like being entertained, intrigued and that is exactly what stories do to us. Secondly, stories also add joy to our lives in a personal and social way. We get emotions -- happiness, sadness -- and get to interact through stories when they are coming from another person. People are given the ability to ask questions and receive answers from someone whose responses they value. An example displaying this error would be trusting your friend’s opinion about a car, rather than that of Consumer Reports. Even though Consumer Reports is a credible magazine with numerous statistics to back them up, that still will not stop someone from undervaluing their findings on that one car they want. That friend's experience could have been one in a thousand, which is about the amount of cars the magazine tests, but people will rely on a friend because it is coming from someone they know rather than a bunch of statistics.

In addition, we seek to confirm, not question our ideas. Firstly, ...

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...her hamster and not a supernatural cat. Allison could not think of anything better at the time and nor was she aware of the possibility of her pet's toy causing the sound. Her fear could have been easily avoided had she not jumped to absurd conclusions, though that was what made the show comical. The argument from ignorance usually results in blaming or accrediting something to a multitude of unlikely perpetrators or situations. Avoid this, and equally avoid seeming ignorant.

To conclude, falling victim to these errors in thinking can also make you lose friends, respect, and succumb to scams. In addition, becoming prey to a scam means suffering a loss, losing resources, money, and time. Why bother unnecessarily losing something that is difficult to get back? Needless to say, put more effort into thinking and decision-making and all kinds of mishaps can be evaded.