THE ART OF THINKING CLEARLY

By Nur Syazana binti Azman

TITLE:                       The Art of Thinking Clearly

AUTHOR:                  Rolf Dobelli

PUBLISHER:           Harper, 2013

SYNOPSIS:

In the introduction, the author explains that the book began as his study notes of the works of great thinkers. While the author is not a psychologist, behavioural economist or thinker himself, he has gathered enough to compile a list of common cognitive biases or thinking errors that hinder people from thinking clearly. Thus the final product is a list of 99 cognitive biases, with each concept or idea explained briefly in two to three pages. The book is a helpful summary of the various cognitive biases we knowingly or unknowingly practice in daily life, supported by interesting anecdotal evidence and references to psychological experiments. Various fallacies in logical thinking are explained in simple language, allowing readers to grasp the general concept without needing to read many scientific illustrations. The Art of Thinking Clearly also includes advice and tips that the author uses to think rationally and reduce errors in one’s life. The author frequently credits his friend Nassim Nicholas Taleb and his 2007 book titled “The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable”.

MAIN THRUST:

The book is basically a list of psychological fallacies, each supported with relatable anecdotes, psychological experiments or even evolutionary origins. Some of the biases which I personally found to be interesting and worth delving deeper into are:

i.              The Sunk Cost Fallacy: When the costs incurred in the past are factored into decision-making. Ideally, one should only weigh the future costs and benefits in order to make rational decisions.

ii.            Social Loafing: When individual performance is less visible due to working in teams, people tend to put in less effort. Responsibility is diffused in a team, causing people to slack mentally and perform weaker compared to working on the same task alone. This bias is commonly observed in bloated systems like the civil service.

iii.           Confusion between Risk and Uncertainty: Risk means that the probabilities are known. Uncertainty means that the probabilities are unknown. Informed decisions can be made by calculating risks, but the same cannot be done with uncertainty.

iv.           Groupthink, the Calamity of Conformity: In groups, people tend to accept the majority conclusion to avoid contradiction. This bias causes smart people in a group to make reckless decisions, because all members align their opinion with the supposed consensus.

v.            The Paradox of Choice: An excessive amount of options causes inner paralysis and subsequently, poorer decisions. One can never be sure of making the right choice. To overcome this, criteria must be set and followed.

OPINION ABOUT THE BOOK:

The format of the 99-chapter book requires it to explain each cognitive bias succinctly, which may be unsatisfactory for those seeking an in-depth explanation. The author tries to demonstrate these biases to a certain extent, without delving into the underlying cognitive and behavioural sciences. The book also lacks a central argument or idea but rather acts as a guiding list for newcomers to the field of cognitive psychology. Having said that, it is still useful for readers to identify these cognitive biases which have influenced their decision-making every day. The book is easy to read due to its relatable anecdotes and simple language, and becomes entertaining when we recognise instances of falling prey to these biases ourselves.

RECOMMENDATION TO THE READER:

The book is a light read, suitable for anyone interested in behavioural psychology. Due to the fact that the book explains cognitive biases in a list rather than in a story format, it may be difficult for readers to retain the book’s insights for long. My recommendation is for the reader to write notes of chapters they find most relevant or interesting, then relate the cognitive bias to their own life. In this way, the reader can consolidate the knowledge and apply it in real life to think clearer and make more rational decisions. Additionally, the book takes influences from other authors and works which may give deeper nuances and more value to the reader. These other works include “The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable” by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, “Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman, and "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion" by Robert Cialdini.