Thinking Is Becoming Rare! | William B. Irvine on Thinking in the Age of AI
William B. Irvine is an American philosopher and Professor Emeritus at Wright State University, best known for his work on Stoicism and practical philosophy. His books include A Guide to the Good Life, which helped popularize modern Stoicism, and his most recent work, How to Think More and Better: Being Reasonable in an Unreasonable World (2024), where he explores evidence-based reasoning, cognitive biases, and the challenges of thinking clearly in the modern information environment. In this conversation, we discuss why many people choose the “easy way” of thinking by relying on others instead of engaging in effortful reasoning, and how this tendency is amplified by social media and AI. We explore concepts such as evidence-based reasoning, confirmation bias, and the distinction between “feelers” and “thinkers.” The discussion also covers the erosion of trust in evidence in the age of AI-generated content, and how emerging technologies may both improve and distort our ability to think clearly. If you enjoy the episode, please consider leaving a like, subscribing, and leaving a review on Youtube, Spotify and Apple. #philosophy #science William's book: https://www.amazon.com/How-Think-More... Socials: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/46hnFSg... Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Linkedin: / masud-gaziyev Instagram: / philosophy.everyday Support the work: https://buymeacoffee.com/philosophy.e... 00:00 Do Humans Want to Know the Truth? 02:43 The Impact of Technology on Knowledge 08:33 Is AI About to Replace Human Creativity? 14:48 What Happens When You Can’t Trust Any Evidence? 17:39 Why Most People Don’t Think Critically 20:50 Truth vs Comfort 42:25 The Nature of Internet Conversations 46:50 Why Some Questions Don’t Have Clear Answers 50:37 Why People Get Emotional About Beliefs 52:40 Thinkers vs Feelers: Which One Are You? 54:34 Can You Think Too Much? 58:04 The Evolution of Human Thinking 01:01:29 The Influence of Emotions in Democracy 01:03:49 Why Social Media Turns You Into a Performer 01:05:34 When Thinking Becomes a Problem 01:10:23 How Ego Has Shaped Human History 01:13:07 Is Stoicism Just Self-Optimization Now? 01:21:13 Future Projects and Reflections on Religion
