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This book can fundamentally change what you believe - and whom you trust. From the tricks our brains play on us to the failings of group dynamics, we make decisions every day based on faulty information and untrustworthy advice. We see what isn’t there, remember what never happened, and put our trust in experts who are as fallible as we are. By drawing on the latest in philosophy, science, and psychology Michael Philips reveals a broad range of dangerous shams, lies, and delusions, and provides some ground-breaking tips for seeing through the simple untruths that pervade modern life. Succinct and entertaining. The Undercover Philosopher is as essential guide to what (and whom) we should believe, in every part of life, from medical diagnoses and financial advice to morality and religion. About The Author Michael Philips taught philosophy at American and Canadian universities for more than thirty years. Professor emeritus, performance artist, and author of numerous books and scholarly articles, he has written for publications ranging from Mind and Philosophy Now to the New York Times. Table of Contents Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1: Seeing What Isn’t There and Remembering What Never Happened Perception Memory Reflections Chapter 2: What We Think We Know about Thinking Estimating Probabilities: Ignoring Base Rates Favoring Preexisting Beliefs Confirmation Bias Cognitive Styles Emotion Directional Thinking Reflections Chapter 3: Flawed Data: Problems of Design from the Brokerage to the Therapist’s Office Plausible but False Assumptions: The Case of Eyewitness Testimony How Bad Theories Manufacture Flawed Data: ‘Recovered Memories’ of Childhood Sexual Abuse Bad Data Born of Bed Theory Born of Desperation: Professional Ethicists and "Our" Ethical Intuitions Ignorance, Iffy Data and Economic Interests: Brokers, Economists and Random Walks Standing Pat: Lie Detection and the Criminal Justice System Rejecting What Does Not Fit: Acupuncture and the A.M.A. Protecting our Theories: The Willful Ignorance of Behaviorism Reflections Chapter 4: Flawed Data: Incompetence, Subjectivity, and Cooking the Books Bad Training and Cost Cutting: Survey Research Fame, Fortune, and Licking the Hand that Feeds You: Scientific Fraud Accounting Fraud: Money, Power, and Politics Media Misrepresentations: Training, Ideology, Careerism, Politics, and Organization Reflections Chapter 5: From Data to Conclusions: Values, Assumptions, and Politics Value Judgements Big Picture Assumptions Organization and Politics Publication Reflections Chapter 6: From Data to Conclusions: A Bit of Philosophy Scientism and "the Scientific Method" Post-Modernism Our Cognitive Tools Reflections Chapter 7: Deciding What to Believe Reasons to Doubt An Ethic of Belief? How Much is Enough? Believing Without Evidence The Final Frame Notes Index