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In this episode, April talks about why good data (current, accurate, and trustworthy) is so important to good thinking. She is perturbed about the current administration's deliberate attempts to delete, change, or hide critical government data. However, she is also hopeful that the many efforts to protect and preserve this data will be successful.

Episode 40 Show Notes--just citations because my explanations took up too much data...

https://www.getrightdata.com/blog/why-quality-matters-the-10-biggest-data-quality-disasters

https://www.smorescience.com/data-driven-life-how-information-shapes-our-daily-decisionsexamples-of-data-in-everyday-life/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2025/05/06/newark-airport-radio-radar-failures/83471323007/

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/white-house-covid-web-page-page-supporting-lab/story?id=120956514

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/31012025/trump-administration-war-on-science/

https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefing-book/climate-change-transparency-project-foia/2025-02-06/disappearing-data-trump?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://www.rheumatologyadvisor.com/news/key-cdc-health-websites-vanish-following-trump-orders/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/public-health/removal-pages-cdc-website-brings-confusion-dismay?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/02/06/nx-s1-5288113/cdc-website-health-data-trump

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/20/trump-missing-murdered-indigenous-peoples-report-removed?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/the-data-hoarders-resisting-trumps-purge

https://libguides.umn.edu/c.php?g=1449575&p=10778647

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Government_watchdog_groups_in_the_United_States

https://journalistsresource.org/home/researchers-rush-to-preserve-federal-health-databases-before-they-disappear-from-government-websites/

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In this episode, April attempts to unpack the complicated topic of propaganda, a form of persuasion used by corporations, advertisers, pundits, influencers, and political personalities. These days, it's important for critical thinkers to understand that there should be a delineation between propaganda and the kind of rhetoric used in democratic governance, to recognize propaganda and to avoid being influenced by it. If this sounds important--well, it is.

Episode 39 Show Notes

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/propaganda--this references the origins of the word propaganda and its original link to religious proselytizing

https://www.thoughtco.com/propaganda-definition-1691544--Dr. Richard Nordquist's excellent ThoughtCo article about the difference between rhetoric and propaganda

https://researchguides.uoregon.edu/medialiteracy/propaganda --University of Oregon's Media Literary Research guide's deep dive into propaganda has some great information about how to determine if something is propaganda

https://researchguides.uoregon.edu/medialiteracy/propaganda --the Naab Research Center gives examples of positive uses of propaganda

Emotional Campaigning in Politics: Being Moved and Anger …--a pdf of Gruning and Schubert's article about the use of emotion in political campaigns

https://www.yourdictionary.com/articles/glittering-generalities--YourDictionary.com has a great article with examples of glittering generalities

https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Loaded_language--the list of "snarl" words is at the bottom of this wiki page devoted to loaded language

https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/AllSidesMediaBiasChart-Version2.jpg--an updated version of the AllSides Media Bias chart

https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/--a great source for checking the bias of any news source, as well as whether it has failed any fact checks

https://disinformation-nation.org/combat-propaganda/--great article about ways to combat propaganda

https://www.shortform.com/summary/thinking-fast-and-slow-summary-daniel-kahneman?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=531475976&msclkid=704335b2e9371134f6f7526e8cdafb8c--a long web address leading to a short summary of Daniel Kahneman's book Thinking Fast and Slow

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/think-act-be/202003/can-you-be-abundantly-cautious-and-fearless--while this article was written about the Covid pandemic, the ideas in it still resonate

https://www.neuroandcounselingcenter.com/single-post/informed-protect-peace--good ideas from certified mental health counselor Amanda Levison, about how to keep your cool and not get overwhelmed w

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In this episode April explains some very common relevance fallacies--Straw Man, Begging the Question, and Two Wrongs Make a Right. Let's all try not to commit these fallacies, okay?

Episode 38 Show Notes:

https://philosophyterms.com/fallacy-of-relevance/#google_vignette--a handy reference website that gives basic explanations of terms related to philosophy as well as short biographies of many famous philosophers.

https://www.historyextra.com/period/georgian/why-we-say-phrase-red-herring-hunting-origins/--a fun discussion of "red herrings" from the official website for the BBC History Magazine

https://www.etymonline.com/word/straw%20man--want to know the origin of a word or common phrase? This is the website for you.

https://www.rand.org/pubs/commentary/2023/10/protecting-free-speech-compels-some-form-of-social.html--a great article about why social media needs some kind of regulation.

https://effectiviology.com/begging-the-question/--this website always has clear, concise definitions and examples of fallacies.

https://helpfulprofessor.com/straw-man-fallacy-examples/--legit professors help you with your homework by answering almost any academic question you might have.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/whataboutism--hey it's an encyclopedia so...

https://human.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Philosophy/Introduction_to_Logic_and_Critical_Thinking_2e_(van_Cleave)/04%3A_Informal_Fallacies/4.03%3A_Fallacies_of_Relevance--this is an entire OER (Open Educational Resource) philosophy textbook, so anyone can access and read it.

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In this episode, April drags herself out of bed while recovering from a wicked case of Influenza A (you might notice her somewhat gravelly vocal quality) to record this episode about an important and timely topic--the language of demagoguery. While we tend to think of it as something politicians and other powerful people use, she discovers to her dismay that we are all capable of being "nascent demagogues" and using this rhetorical technique in our everyday discussions about politics. Hey, let's try not to do that, okay?

Episode 37 Show Notes

https://gordoncstewart.com/2023/12/05/the-language-of-demagoguery-2/
Social commentator and blogger Gordon Stewart discusses how language is used for social manipulation, referencing Senator Newt Gingrich.

https://feps-europe.eu/powerless-arguments-demagogue-and-populist-language/
Robert Feustel is a researcher at Friedrich Schiller University, and this article discusses the difficulty of arguing with someone using demagogic language.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02773945.2019.1610636
Skinnell and Murphy's excellent article on the pervasiveness of the language of demagoguery.

https://www.mediaethicsmagazine.com/index.php/browse-back-issues/209-spring-2017-vol-29-no-2/3999195-media-rhetoric-and-the-demagoguery-of-the-elite
Good article by rhetorician Patricia Roberts-Miller of the University of Texas at Austin, who also wrote the book Demagoguery and Democracy.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00963402.2024.2388461#abstract
I didn't really reference this excellent treatise about the way that demagogues destroy democracy by John Keane, but I highly recommend that you read it anyway.

https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/publications/demagoguery-technology-and-cognition-addressing-the-threats-to-de
Stephen Lewandowsky's paper on demagoguery and how it threatens democracy.

https://www.historyhit.com/culture/anti-jewish-propaganda-in-nazi-germany/
Some examples of how the Nazis used anti-Jewish propaganda to influence German citizens.

https://brainapps.io/blog/2025/01/stand-up-against-demagogy-protect/
This article contains some very helpful tips about how to recognize and stand up to demagogic rhetoric.

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In this episode, April reveals that her husband is a rain god. Well, he's not, but he thinks he is. She discusses this uniquely human thing we do called magical thinking.
Episode 36 Show Notes (oooh, so many sources!)

Good basic explanation of magical thinking:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/magical-thinking
Wait, here's another one:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/magical-thinking
How is magical thinking a cognitive distortion?
https://www.goodrx.com/health-topic/mental-health/magical-thinking-effects-cognitive-distortion
Amanda Montell's awesome book:
https://www.amazon.com/Age-Magical-Overthinking-Modern-Irrationality/dp/1668007975
Scientific American articles on the topic:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-come-some-people-believe-in-the-paranormal/
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-can-you-fight-conspiracy-theories/
Do dead people pinch us while we sleep? Probably not:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/theory-and-praxis/202310/the-benefits-and-consequences-of-magical-thinking
Healthline's article:
https://www.healthline.com/health/magical-thinking#:~:text=Magical%20thinking%20involves%20the%20belief%20that%20you%20can,something%20that%20has%20no%20bearing%20on%20the%20circumstances.
Matthew Hutson and the positive side of magical thinking:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12933497-the-7-laws-of-magical-thinking
How magical thinking and OCD are connected:
https://www.verywellhealth.com/magical-thinking-ocd-5220558
Salon.com articles on the topic:
https://www.salon.com/2018/09/10/a-neuroscientist-explains-how-religious-fundamentalism-hijacks-the-brain_partner/
https://www.salon.com/2024/04/09/from-conspiracy-theories-to-manifesting-how-to-navigate-the-age-of-magical-overthinking/
How to Talk to Conspiracy Theorists:
https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking-pseudoscience/zen-and-art-talking-conspiracy-theorists
Interview with Eric Oliver:
https://news.uchicago.edu/podcasts/big-brains/science-conspiracy-theories-and-political-polarization-eric-oliver
Mick West is awesome. Links for his book and his webpage, Metabunk:

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In this episode, April discusses an unfair and unethical debate tactic used by many politicians, conspiracy theorists, and anyone else who insists on "winning" arguments. She also revisits Brandolini's Law, which means she gets to say "bullshit" more than a few times.

Episode 35 Show Notes

https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/logicalfallacies/gish-gallop.html
A good basic description of the Gish Gallop.

https://effectiviology.com/gish-gallop/
Itamar Schatz's website, Effectiviology, is one of my go-to places for everything fallacy-related.

“On the Trail With RFK Jr." On the Media. Podcast. June 30, 2023.
Um, not sure how to link to this, but you can certainly search for it on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen. RFK Jr. is well-known for using the Gish Gallop in his speeches and interviews.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=murvOaHB66A
Wanna see some really fast talkers? These student debaters can speak at 500 words per minute, which is twice as fast as Congressman Jim Jordan. But unlike him, they have to make sense and provide evidence for their claims.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-FGKxaCdS0
I took Congressman Jordan's Gish Gallop example from this succinct YouTube video about how to counter the Gish Gallop technique.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/02/11/readout-of-president-bidens-video-call-with-transatlantic-leaders/
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/02/17/readout-of-president-bidens-call-with-president-zelenskyy-of-ukraine-13/
Here are two readouts of diplomatic calls President Biden has made.

https://qz.com/905252/donald-trumps-lies-are-all-part-of-a-debate-tactic-called-the-gish-gallop
Carl Alvioni's excellent article on Gish Gallops.

Everything below has to do with the Trump-Ukraine call:
https://www.politico.com/news/2019/09/25/donald-trump-ukraine-call-analysis-000039

https://www.npr.org/2019/10/12/768935251/trump-ukraine-and-the-path-to-the-impeachment-inquiry-a-timeline

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/10/14/pelosi-trump-impeachment-ukraine-00061649

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-ukraine-transcript-moved_n_5dba4ec5e4b0bb1ea37476e5

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/27/us/politics/nsc-ukraine-call.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/white-house-lawyer-moved-transcript-of-trump-call-to-classified-server-af

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In this episode, April warns people that they might need a break while listening; but in the end, it's surprisingly positive. Just like her!!!

Episode 34 Show Notes

https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-to-know-existential-dread
Good discussion of the basics of existentialism, existential dread, why existential crises occur and how to handle them.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220929-the-unsettling-power-of-existential-dread
David Robson's article explains how existential dread changes the way we think, reporting on the upswing in conspiracy theories after distressing events that trigger existential dread.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Denial_of_Death
Yep, I'm citing Wikipedia here, but it's a decent discussion of Ernest Becker's groundbreaking work.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jul/31/the-worm-at-the-core-on-the-role-of-death-in-life-solomon-greenberg-pyszczynski-review
Excellent review of Solomon, Greenberg, and Psyzczynski's seminal work about terror management theory.

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.595990/full
Great article about how many individuals used creative expression to alleviate their distress during the Covid-19 pandemic.

https://www.un.org/africarenewal/web-features/i-was-tested-limit-%E2%80%94-rwanda-genocide-survivor
The harrowing story of a Rwanda genocide survivor.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7498956/
The original researchers of terror management theory apply their understanding of it to the Covid-19 pandemic.

https://mymodernmet.com/what-are-the-lascaux-cave-paintings/
Take a look at these beautiful cave paintings--that's how you live forever, people! Do something amazing.

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To kick off a new year, April looks at the impact that the emotion of gratitude can have on our mental, emotional, and even physical health. The message here is--the better you feel about yourself and the world around you, the better your cognitive processes will be.

Episode 33 Show Notes

The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy's article on gratitude is, um, kinda deep and intense (and hard to read), but then, it IS the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, so...
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/gratitude/

What gratitude is, and some ways to show it:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/your-wise-brain/202102/how-show-gratitude

LinkedIn article about gratitude in the workplace:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/power-thank-you-how-engage-your-company-gratitude-/

Glenn Fox on gratitude:
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/what_can_the_brain_reveal_about_gratitude

A.J. Jacob's wonderful gratitude journey:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brainstorm/201811/adventures-in-gratitude

I reference Kendra Cherry a lot, because her articles are always spot on:
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-gratitude-5206817#History%20of%20Gratitude

Robert Emmons discusses gratitude:
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/gratitude/definition

Interesting article about how gratitude evolved:
https://grateful.org/resource/the-evolution-of-gratitude/

How practicing gratitude affects the brain:
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_gratitude_changes_you_and_your_brain

Another great article about neuroscience and gratitude:
https://positivepsychology.com/neuroscience-of-gratitude/

This article focuses on the importance of gratitude in our lives:
https://positivepsychology.com/gratitude-appreciation/#:~:text=Many%20of%20us%20express%20gratitude%20by,emotion%20that%20serves%20a%20biological%20purpose.&text=Many%20of%20us%20express,serves%20a%20biological%20purpose.&text=us%20express%20gratitude%20by,emotion%20that%20serves%20a