What is critical thinking, and why is it useful? This day explores key facets of thinking critically, with plenty of examples. We cover fallacies, cognitive biases, what reason is, and isn’t, how to assess evidence, and much more. We will look at plenty of entertaining examples of how we can think we’re being rational when we’re not, and will finish with debiasing – training ourselves not to fall for the cognitive biases to which we are, unfortunately, innately prone.

Dr Stephen Law is a philosopher, academic and all-round polymath. He has written a number of best-selling introductions to philosophy for both adults and children, including The Complete Philosophy Files and The Philosophy Gym. He is much in demand as a public speaker and has written for the Guardian, Independent on Sunday, Mail on Sunday, the Sydney Morning Herald, The Times, Newsweek, Aeon, and New Scientist magazine.

Stephen began his career as a postman before discovering philosophy and entering University as a mature student. He was a postgraduate and researcher at the University of Oxford, before becoming a lecturer at Heythrop College in the University of London. He is currently Director of Studies for Philosophy at Oxford University Department of Continuing Education.

Event details

Tickets include morning tea and lunch.
Venue: Function Room, Newington College