Description

Professor of Psychology Dan Ariely starts by stating that there are many ways to be irrational, but only one way to be rational.  He then discusses one interesting technique for thinking more rationally, namely taking an outsider’s perspective of the situation.  This method can often help us shed our biases and short term interests.

Discussion Questions

• What does Ariely mean by “taking another perspective”?
• How can we take another person’s perspective of a situation?  What are some concrete ways that Ariely recommends?
• Why does it help to take another perspective?

Keywords: rational, critical thinking, skills, perspective taking, cognitive bias, psychology, reason,