Critical Thinking

HOW TO AVOID BEING MANIPULATED, BAMBOOZLED AND SEDUCED BY "EXPERTS" AND "AUTHORITIES"
by Sharon Presley
SP1 Complete 5 cassette set [includes SP2, SP3, SP4] $30
Mindlessly going along with authority is easy. Even smart people do it. This seminar series will help you learn to be more mindful and to more critically examine what experts and authorities say. It suggests techniques for spotting and avoiding manipulation by experts, avoiding the "seduction of the situation," and for standing up to unjust authority.

What We Know about Social Influence and Mindless Obedience
by Sharon Presley
SP2 90 min. 1 cassette $10
In this overview of the background psychological research, including the Milgram experiment and the Stanford prison simulation study, you'll learn what hidden factors influence mindless obedience and irrational conformity to persuasive techniques (they may not be what you think).

How to Resist Manipulation by Experts
by Sharon Presley
SP3 85 min./2 cassette $12
This seminar explores techniques and ideas for becoming more mindful of the manipulations of authorities and experts, including how to spot situational factors that unconsciously affect you, how to avoid playing the passive role in an unequal power relationship, techniques for avoiding going along with the crowd, and seven guidelines for thinking critically about authority.

Strategies and Techniques for Standing Up to Experts and Authorities
by Sharon Presley
SP4 2 cassettes/85 min. $12
This seminar discusses positive strategies for making yourself less vulnerable to authority and persuasion as well as suggestions for how to deal with unjust authority in the workplace or other institutional settings.

Eight Dumb Mistakes Even Smart People Make and How to Avoid Them
by Sharon Presley
SP8 60 min/1 cassette $8.00
Dr. Presley, a social psychologist, discusses how to recognize unrealistic and unproductive thinking mistakes that even smart people make, including the "Chicken Little" syndrome, "believing your own press agent"," believing your critics ,"yes-butism, "mind-reading, and "comparisonitis."" Techniques for minimizing the damage from these mistakes by " activating your smarts" are explored. Based on the book 10 Dumb Mistakes by Arthur Freeman as well as the work of cognitive therapists such as Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis.
Nonrational Determinants of Thinking: The Real Reasons We Believe What We Believe
by Dixon Wragg
DW2 90 min./1 cassette $10.00
Most presentations on thinking emphasize specifically cognitive factors such as rules of logic, thus rationalizing our thinking/believing process (i.e., making it sound more rational than it really is). But nonrational (social, political, cultural, economic, geographical, psychological and physiological) factors inform our perceptions, beliefs and values more than we like to admit. In this seminar, Wragg presents examples of how these factors affect our thinking and discusses the important implications for critical thinking.
A Rational Look at the Paranormal
by Dixon Wragg
DW3 120 min./2 cassettes $12.00
The term "paranormal" here is used to refer to "fringey" stuff such as UFO's, "remote viewing," the Bermuda Triangle, astrology, psychic healing, crystal healing, etc. Wragg presents some basic concepts and principles to keep in mind when assessing paranormal claims, including a look at common fallacies that can lead us into delusions if we're not critical thinkers. Amusing and enlightening examples, some from his own experience, are included.

The Art Of Deception: An Introduction to Critical Thinking
Author/Reader Nicholas Capaldi
180 mins./2 tapes $16.95
Information on how to win an argument, recognize faulty reasoning and see through deceptive ploys. Uses examples from everyday life to show how critical thinking can work for you.

Flim-Flam!
Author/Reader: James "The Amazing" Randi
Produced by Promethus Press
FFPP1 165 min./2 cassettes $16.95

An internationally known magician, Randi is a devoted investigator of paranormal, occult, and supernatural claims. Here he reads the book that helped expose dozens of outrageous deceptions widely promoted by the media. Randi lambastes sloppy research, careless errors, and misrepresentations wherever they occur. A colorful insight into distinguishing real science from pseudoscience.

Gullible's Travels
by Steve Allen
Read by Steve Allen and Jayne Meadows
Produced by Promethus Press
GTPP1 60 min./1 cassette $12.95 Ages 8-15

Allen introduces young people to the brain and its proper use. With humor and catchy songs, Allen and Meadows present an engaging exchange between Mr. Wiseman and his two young pupils, Bob Gulliver and friend Sally. Gulliver, unfortunately, doesn't reason very well. In fact, he so often believes anything he hears that his friends have nicknamed him "Gullible." In this adventure, Gullible encounters an odd assortment of characters along the road to good reasoning: Betty Bias, Peter Prejudice, "Ad" Hominem, and Teddy Tangletongue--all of whom illustrate what happens when reasoning goes bad.

Critical thinking has never been so much fun!