I have been very entertained recently by reading Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely, a scientist conducting research in the field of Behavioral Economics. Whereas standard economic theories assume that people behave very rationally and make decisions according to clearly recognizable and economically measureable benefits, the new field of behavioral economics seeks to identify, understand and predict where and when this is not the case. The book describes various studies and experiments designed to understand and predict some general types of irrational behavior. It has a particular appeal to me as some of the topics relate heavily to the content of this blog! Some time ago, I wrote an article on the subject of relativity and the first chapter of the book deals with the same topic

Problem solving is a challenging task and it is made more difficult when the problem solving efforts are focused upon the wrong part of the problem. Clear identification of the problem as well as of the desired result are the key to coming up with great solutions.

From horoscopes to superstitions to religions and even to that ancient astronomical calendar, Stonehenge, it seems that humankind has an irrepressible craving to predict with certainty. An understanding of why this is so can help us to make better decisions.

“I regard the writing of humor as a supreme artistic challenge.” Herman Wouk

“After God created the world, He made man and woman. Then, to keep the whole thing from collapsing, He invented humor.” Guillermo Mordillo

Humor revolves around leading people to false conclusions before surprising them with an alternative conclusion. The funny thing is that we often make wrong conclusions about many things in life. Understanding the mechanism of humor can help us to get a better grasp on interpreting reality to our advantage. In this way we can understand problems with greater clarity and resolve them much easier.

A common source of resistance to change, even good change, is that generally starts out as resistance to something but that will never be enough to carry out change. A better way of thinking about change can ease and speed up the process

A lot of beliefs are mere props against uncertainty where we seek ‘imaginary facts’ to bolster ourselves and to justify taking difficult decisions. In the end they generally prove limiting and disappointing because of their fantastic nature but with a little courage a better solution can be applied.

A lack of awareness of the fundamental problems with commonly used logic and the assumptions behind it causes a lot of misconception and hence problems. This article details this and gives you a better logic to adopt. This article is 700 words long and will take about 3 to 4-minutes to read.

The verb ‘to be’ causes many problems through creating inaccurate descriptions that confuse us. E-prime can counteract this. This article is 1100 words long and will take about 5 to 6-minutes to read