FTI Event: Tricks of the Mind: Can You Trust What You Think?

**Description:** We all like to believe that we look at the evidence and then form our opinions. But very often, our minds work in the opposite direction: we form a belief and then become remarkably good at finding evidence that supports it. Join the **Free Thinker Institute** for an interactive discussion about the psychology of **confirmation bias**—what it is, why virtually everyone experiences it, how it can distort our judgment and decision-making, and, most importantly, what we can do to overcome it. We'll explore why intelligent, well-intentioned people can look at the same information and reach completely different conclusions, why being smart doesn't necessarily protect us from our own biases, and practical techniques we can use to become more open-minded, intellectually honest, and accurate thinkers. If time permits, we'll also explore some of the many ways people can be persuaded to believe things that aren't true—from repetition and emotional appeals to social pressure, misleading statistics, selective evidence, and other techniques. The goal isn't to tell anyone **what to think**. It's to get better at **how we think**—and to become more resilient when someone, intentionally or unintentionally, tries to convince us of something that isn't true. Come prepared to question your assumptions—including your own.