# Clear thinking To ensure our thinking is as clear as possible, we should seek out disconfirming evidence.[[Seek out disconfirming evidence.|º]] As Paul Graham[[Paul Graham|º]] has stated, “When experts are wrong, it’s often because they’re experts on an earlier version of the world.”[[“When experts are wrong, it’s often because they’re experts on an earlier version of the world.”|º]] Instead, actively seek out change, because opinions that were valid yesterday may cease to be correct tomorrow.[[Actively seek out change, because opinions that were valid yesterday may cease to be correct tomorrow.|º]] The ever-lucid Maria Popova[[Maria Popova|º]] has put it in this way: The only way to find out the extent of what I don’t know is for someone to tell me, teach me or show me, and then open my eyes to this bit of information, knowledge or experience I had never before considered.[[The only way to find out the extent of what I don’t know is for someone to tell me, teach me or show me, and then open my eyes to this bit of information, knowledge or experience I had never before considered.|º]] This requires having a flexible sense of identity,[[Identity|º]] one where it is possible to consider opposing views because a challenged view doesn’t threaten you as a person,[[Diversifying into multiple domains makes it easier to consider opposing views because a challenged view doesn’t threaten you as a person.|º]] and where you don’t have to commit to and defend a position simply because it is strongly tied to your identity.[[Diversifying into multiple domains prevents you from committing to and defending a position simply because it is so tied to your identity.|º]] Clearer thinking is thus assisted by not having an overly large identity full of beliefs bogging us down.[[Clearer thinking is assisted by not having an overly large identity full of beliefs bogging us down.|º]] The fewer beliefs we attach to our identity, the clearer we will be able to think.[[The fewer beliefs we attach to our identity, the clearer we will be able to think.|º]] Some say the best way to think is to write.[[The best way to think is to write.|º]] In a similar way to identifying gaps in knowledge through teaching, through writing we can identify where our mind goes, what we are thinking about, to lay it all down on a piece of (physical or digital) paper and to corral our thoughts away from some jumbled mess into some sort of structured arrangement. %% # Reference ```dataview LIST FROM [[]] OR #clear-thinking AND !outgoing([[]]) AND -"Templates" WHERE file.name != this.file.name SORT file.name ASC ``` # Archive - %%