Bad Thinking: Biases, Fallacies and Prejudices

A discussion on how and why human reasoning goes wrong — and how it can go right

Human thinking is full of shortcuts, blind spots, and inherited habits — but understanding them can actually strengthen our reasoning, sharpen our self-awareness, and improve how we relate to others.
This meetup looks at biases, fallacies, and prejudices not only as errors but as opportunities:
What can these psychological mechanisms teach us about better thinking?
Is rationality something we can cultivate?
How do we become fairer, clearer, and more charitable thinkers?
This is a reflective, philosophical discussion aimed at insight rather than criticism. Come ready to think, question, and explore.

Topics for Discussion

• Cognitive Biases
How shortcuts like confirmation bias and anchoring help us navigate the world — and how noticing them can open the door to more balanced judgment.
• Logical Fallacies
What flawed arguments reveal about the structure of reasoning itself — and whether clearer argumentation can be learned, practiced, or even habituated.
• Prejudices
How pre-judgments arise, why they feel intuitive, and what it means to challenge them thoughtfully without falling into moralism or naivety.

Normative Questions We Will Touch On

• Is it possible to train ourselves toward more rational thinking?
• How much “bias reduction” is realistic versus idealistic?
• Is charity in argument a virtue?
• Can we develop healthier intellectual habits — and what would those look like?
• What does it mean to judge others fairly?

Why This Matters

Understanding our cognitive limits can help us:

• communicate more clearly
• slow down hasty conclusions
• become fairer to ourselves and others
• engage in deeper, more honest dialogue

A better grasp of “bad thinking” is, paradoxically, a pathway to better thinking.

Schedule:
18:00–18:10 – Getting to know each other
18:10–19:40 – Discussion: Bad Thinking
19:40–20:00 – Debrief and choosing the next topic

Everyone is welcome—no prior philosophy background needed, only curiosity and openness. Description by ChatGPT.