CT Critical Thinking Resources

[Jason Silvernail]

Here's a list of good critical thinking resources.

Foundation for Critical Thinking

Science-Based Medicine

Paul Ingraham's SaveYourself Site

Steven Novella's Skeptics Guide to the Universe

Carl Sagan's Site

Carl Sagan's Baloney Detection Kit

The Skeptic's Society

Critical Thinking in Medical Education

Quackwatch

Distinguishing Science from Pseudscience

The Skeptic's Dictionary. (direct link to "Tooth Fairy Science" definition)

[byronselorme]

Those are awesome links Jason. Couple in there I have not seen before.

Can I add some?

DC Science

James Randi Educational Foundation

A useful handbook How to Become a Really Good Pain in the Ass by Christopher DiCarlo

And the great showtime TV Series with Penn & Teller BullShit

[paulingraham]

All terrific sites, Jason: I'm honoured that my work is included. I know ScienceBasedMedicine.org best of the lot (after my own!), and I particularly recommend their articles on the idea of Science-Based Medicine (listed on the About SBM page, compiled by yours truly): lots of great ideas about how to think about health care, science and evidence there.

I hope Soma Simplers will like just about anything on my site, but there are some pages that stand out as being especially "right" for readers here (and this thread):

• a reading guide for skeptics, listing these and several others
• my own anti-structuralism essay (written years before I knew about Soma Simple)
• my almost-famous review of stretching
• criticism of a certain modality many here find especially objectionable
• how quacks abuse Ioannidis

[John W]

Paul,

I not only love the content of you site, but I love the design- it's so readable. My marginal attention deficit appreciates that fact that I'm not having to ignore a bunch of buttons and ad logos, etc.

Really makes a huge difference in the value of a website in my opinion.

[paulingraham]

Thanks, John! I wrote something about those design principles just recently, because I'm amused at the way there are now some trendy publishing technologies "for making the web look more like I’ve been doing it all along." So ironic!

Speaking of simple, tasteful design: I'm writing from Amsterdam right now, where nearly everything is under-stated and minimalistic. Even the quackery here is subdued! Amsterdam is just as flaky as Vancouver, and you can buy every flavour of alt-med all over the place, but the signage is all relatively tasteful and "quiet." Interesting!

[AnnaGates]

More study opportunities! Thank you for the resources. I'm printing them and will start shopping at Amazon.

[mszlazak]

Probably should give some links to pseudo-critical thinking as well.
Here is one to start things off:

Twenty-Five Ways To Suppress Truth: The Rules of Disinformation (Includes The 8 Traits of A Disinformationalist)


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[Ken Jakalski]

I'm honoured that my work is included. I hope Soma Simplers will like just about anything on my site, but there are some pages that stand out as being especially "right" for readers here (and this thread)

Thanks for posting here at SomaSimple. I agree with your sight being "right for readers," especially those of us who do not have a backgtround in PT and who appreciate your straightforward writing style and avoidance of guru-esque terminology.

I purchased your shin splint e-book last night. No issue in dealing with middle distance runners impacts coaches of high school kids more than the catch-all "shin splint."

I think your anaysis is spot on. The three things you've mentioned are the same three things that have come up in my thirty eight years of coaching: MTSS, compartment syndrome, or stress fracture.

I've found that stress fractures are eventually confirmed after extended discomfort either by 1) costly bone scan or 2) x-ray showing knitting over the site. Orthos feel the treament is the same so they avoid the scan and know the x-ray won't show much until knitting over the site is taking place

The orthos I've dealt with in my area tend to immediately rule out compartment syndrome. They don't like to do the compression test, probably because they believe they are costly and unnecessary. Those who do administer the test (many times on the patient's insistence) rule out CS unless pressure is high in more than one compartment.

The prescription for MTSS usually comes down to 1)recommendation of orthotics 2)stretching and 3) lots of strengthening exercises via theraband, towels, etc.

Athletes are often frustrated despite having one or more pair of 600 dollar orthotics, all kinds of pretty colored theraband, and doing all kinds of stretching and strengthening exercises for the foot and ankle.

When discomfort continues, it's because they haven't done enough stretching or strengthening exercises...or they've outgrown their othotics (I'm not kidding on this one).