When we pretend to know something that we don’t or start a comment with “everyone knows that...”, we create an atmosphere where answers become irrelevant. It closes off our openness to new ideas, ways of thinking and discovering new information. This is the curse of knowingness.
On this episode of Behavioral Grooves, Jonathan Malesic discusses the concept of "knowingness" - the tendency people have to act like they already know something when in fact they don't. This false sense of knowledge can prevent learning and understanding. Overcoming knowingness requires maintaining a healthy skepticism and openness to new evidence.
Knowingness afflicts all corners of our politics. And I think that it's a real problem when it starts afflicting people whose job is to inform us.
Jonathan Malesic teaches writing at Southern Methodist University and creative nonfiction at the University of Texas at Dallas. He’s a philosopher and scholar and cares a lot about something we do every week: science communication. And he's also a previous guest on the show when he discussed how to end burnout on episode 302.
Writing for an audience can help develop empathy and moral imagination by forcing writers to imagine the needs and perspective of their readers. Jonathan argues that learning to write is an ethical training that teaches us to relate to others beyond ourselves. With the emergence of new AI tools like ChatGPT it begs the question of whether writing needs to be taught at all. But Jonathan doesn’t feel threatened by AI. He explains that with a lack of empathy, AI will never be able to effectively write for its audience.
(3:12) Welcome and speed round questions.
(7:02) Our problem isn’t misinformation, it’s knowingness.
(9:16) Is knowingness a type of confirmation bias?
(11:31) How already knowing makes it impossible to learn anything new.
(15:04) The role of the internet and social media on confirmation bias.
(18:43) Cognitive dissonance and the structure of scientific revolutions.
(20:54) How can we overcome knowingness?
(28:55) How do you change someone’s mind?
(30:54) Do we still need to teach writing now that we have ChatGPT?
(39:09) How do we relate to people we imagine?
(43:24) What music would Jon take to a desert island?
(47:18) Grooving Session with Kurt and Tim on knowingness.
© 2023 Behavioral Grooves
Links
Episode 302, You Have Dignity Because You’re Human, Not Because You Work | Jonathan Malesic: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/you-have-dignity-jonathan-malesic/
Jonathan Malesic’s book “The End of Burnout: Why Work Drains Us and How to Build Better Lives”: https://amzn.to/3tDdS8j
Jonathan Lear “Open Minded: Working Out the Logic of the Soul”: https://amzn.to/3PyP2SJ
“Our big problem is not misinformation; it’s knowingness” by Jonathan Malesic: https://psyche.co/ideas/our-big-problem-is-not-misinformation-its-knowingness
Buffalo Sabres: https://www.nhl.com/sabres
Thomas Kuhn “The Structure of Scientific Revolutions”: https://amzn.to/3JqLe1O
Oedipus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oedipus
Episode 31, Leaving the Matrix: Annie Duke and Insights into how you can improve your thinking! https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/leaving-the-matrix-annie-duke-and-insights-into-how-you-can-improve-your-thinking/
Behavioral Grooves Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/behavioralgrooves
Musical Links
Neil Young “Harvest Moon”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2MtEsrcTTs
Fiona Apple “Criminal”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFOzayDpWoI
Anxiety at Work: Why We Feel It and How To Manage It | Chester Elton
The 5 Healthy Brain Habits Of A Neuroscientist | Dr Daniel Almeida
Money Does Boost Happiness, But Not The Way We Think It Does | Daniel Crosby
Why You Don‘t Need to be Powerful to be Influential | Vanessa Bohns
Leading Human™: How to Avoid Burnout and Create a Positive Organization
Kwame Christian: On Compassionate Curiosity, Social Justice Conversations, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch [Republish Episode 178]
Vaccinating the World: How Behavioral Science Helps. With Michael Coleman
Can People Learn to be Better at Thinking? With Richard E. Nisbett
Do We Control Situations or Do Situations Control Us? With John Bargh
Stanford Prison Experiment, 50 Years On: What Have We Really Learnt? With Dr Philip Zimbardo
[INTERVIEW] Are You More Honest with Google or Your Friends? With Seth Stephens-Davidowitz
[GROOVING SESSION] Are You More Honest with Google or Your Friends? With Seth Stephens-Davidowitz
[INTERVIEW] Does Money Really Make You Happy? The Research with Johannes Haushofer
[GROOVING SESSION] Does Money Really Make You Happy? The Research with Johannes Haushofer
[INTERVIEW] Smart Behavioral Economics Secrets Every Marketer Needs with Melina Palmer
[GROOVING SESSION] Smart Behavioral Economics Secrets Every Marketer Needs with Melina Palmer
[INTERVIEW] Why Good, Honest Employees Really Do Steal With Kelly Paxton
[GROOVING SESSION] Why Good, Honest Employees Really Do Steal With Kelly Paxton
Who Makes You Feel Grateful? Tell Them! With Chester Elton
[INTERVIEW] Attention: How to Capture It and Keep It with Ben Parr
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Poetry of Science
Hidden Brain
The Science of Happiness
The Psychology Podcast
Mysterious Radio: Paranormal, UFO & Lore Interviews