Dr. Jamil Zaki

Again, cynicism is a theory that's kind of locked in, that no matter what people show you, their true colors are, again, untrustworthy and self-oriented. It's a hyper Darwinian view, right? That ultimately people are red in tooth and claw. Skepticism is instead the, I guess, restlessness with our assumptions, a desire for new information.

One way I often think about it is that cynics think a little bit like lawyers, right? They have a decision that they've already made about you and about everybody. And they're just waiting for evidence that supports their point. And when evidence comes in that doesn't support their point, they explain it away.

One way I often think about it is that cynics think a little bit like lawyers, right? They have a decision that they've already made about you and about everybody. And they're just waiting for evidence that supports their point. And when evidence comes in that doesn't support their point, they explain it away.

One way I often think about it is that cynics think a little bit like lawyers, right? They have a decision that they've already made about you and about everybody. And they're just waiting for evidence that supports their point. And when evidence comes in that doesn't support their point, they explain it away.

And you see this, actually, that cynical people will offer more ulterior motives when they see an act of kindness, for instance. They'll explain it away. In that way, I think cynics actually are quite similar to the naive, trusting, gullible folks that they love to make fun of. Naivete, gullibility, is trusting people in a credulous, unthinking way.

And you see this, actually, that cynical people will offer more ulterior motives when they see an act of kindness, for instance. They'll explain it away. In that way, I think cynics actually are quite similar to the naive, trusting, gullible folks that they love to make fun of. Naivete, gullibility, is trusting people in a credulous, unthinking way.

And you see this, actually, that cynical people will offer more ulterior motives when they see an act of kindness, for instance. They'll explain it away. In that way, I think cynics actually are quite similar to the naive, trusting, gullible folks that they love to make fun of. Naivete, gullibility, is trusting people in a credulous, unthinking way.

I would say cynicism is mistrusting people in a credulous and unthinking way. So if cynics then think like lawyers sort of in the prosecution against humanity, skeptics think more like scientists. Skepticism classically in philosophy is the belief that you can never truly know anything. But as we think about it now, it's more the desire for evidence to underlie any claim that you believe.

I would say cynicism is mistrusting people in a credulous and unthinking way. So if cynics then think like lawyers sort of in the prosecution against humanity, skeptics think more like scientists. Skepticism classically in philosophy is the belief that you can never truly know anything. But as we think about it now, it's more the desire for evidence to underlie any claim that you believe.

I would say cynicism is mistrusting people in a credulous and unthinking way. So if cynics then think like lawyers sort of in the prosecution against humanity, skeptics think more like scientists. Skepticism classically in philosophy is the belief that you can never truly know anything. But as we think about it now, it's more the desire for evidence to underlie any claim that you believe.

And the great thing about skepticism is it doesn't require an ounce of naivete. You can be absolutely sharp in deciding, I don't want to trust this person or I do want to trust this person. But it allows you to update and learn from specific acts, specific instances, and specific people.

And the great thing about skepticism is it doesn't require an ounce of naivete. You can be absolutely sharp in deciding, I don't want to trust this person or I do want to trust this person. But it allows you to update and learn from specific acts, specific instances, and specific people.

And the great thing about skepticism is it doesn't require an ounce of naivete. You can be absolutely sharp in deciding, I don't want to trust this person or I do want to trust this person. But it allows you to update and learn from specific acts, specific instances, and specific people.

That's exactly right. Phil Tetlock has a great term for this called integrative complexity. To what extent can you hold different versions of the world, different arguments in mind? To what extent can you pick from each one what you believe based on the best evidence available?

That's exactly right. Phil Tetlock has a great term for this called integrative complexity. To what extent can you hold different versions of the world, different arguments in mind? To what extent can you pick from each one what you believe based on the best evidence available?

That's exactly right. Phil Tetlock has a great term for this called integrative complexity. To what extent can you hold different versions of the world, different arguments in mind? To what extent can you pick from each one what you believe based on the best evidence available?

And integrative complexity is a great way to learn about the world and about the social world, whereas cynicism, as you rightly point out, is much more of a heuristic. It's a black and white form of thinking. And the really sad thing is that Cynicism then puts us in a position where we can't learn very much. This is what in learning theory is called a wicked learning environment.

And integrative complexity is a great way to learn about the world and about the social world, whereas cynicism, as you rightly point out, is much more of a heuristic. It's a black and white form of thinking. And the really sad thing is that Cynicism then puts us in a position where we can't learn very much. This is what in learning theory is called a wicked learning environment.

And integrative complexity is a great way to learn about the world and about the social world, whereas cynicism, as you rightly point out, is much more of a heuristic. It's a black and white form of thinking. And the really sad thing is that Cynicism then puts us in a position where we can't learn very much. This is what in learning theory is called a wicked learning environment.

And I don't want to get too nerdy. Well, I guess I can get nerdy here. You can get as nerdy as you want. This audience likes nerdy. So... Let's think in Bayesian terms, right?