https://bullshitopedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Library%3AA_Field_Guide_to_Lies 2026-10-27T22:33:07Z Revision history for this page on the wiki MediaWiki 1.46.2 https://bullshitopedia.org/index.php?title=Library:A_Field_Guide_to_Lies&diff=570&oldid=prev 2026-10-27T10:17:38Z

<p>ISBN verified against publisher records (checked by Paul Siegel)</p> <table style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122;" data-mw-interface=""> <col class="diff-marker" /> <col class="diff-content" /> <col class="diff-marker" /> <col class="diff-content" /> <tr class="diff-title" lang="en"> <td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122; text-align: center;">← Older revision</td> <td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122; text-align: center;">Revision as of 10:17, 27 October 2026</td> </tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" id="mw-diff-left-l4">Line 4:</td> <td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno">Line 4:</td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>| year    = 2016</div></td><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>| year    = 2016</div></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>| isbn    = 978-1-101-98382-8</div></td><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>| isbn    = 978-1-101-98382-8</div></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="−"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>| isbn_verified =  </div></td><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="+"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>| isbn_verified = <ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">yes</ins></div></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>| role    = Analysis</div></td><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>| role    = Analysis</div></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>| domain1  = Science &amp; Environment</div></td><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>| domain1  = Science &amp; Environment</div></td></tr> </table>

Paulsiegel https://bullshitopedia.org/index.php?title=Library:A_Field_Guide_to_Lies&diff=273&oldid=prev 2026-10-26T18:09:44Z

<p>Amplified library summary</p> <table style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122;" data-mw-interface=""> <col class="diff-marker" /> <col class="diff-content" /> <col class="diff-marker" /> <col class="diff-content" /> <tr class="diff-title" lang="en"> <td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122; text-align: center;">← Older revision</td> <td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122; text-align: center;">Revision as of 18:09, 26 October 2026</td> </tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" id="mw-diff-left-l13">Line 13:</td> <td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno">Line 13:</td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br></td><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>== Summary ==</div></td><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>== Summary ==</div></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="−"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">A </del>neuroscientist <del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">offers </del>practical <del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">tools for </del>evaluating numbers, graphs, <del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">sources </del>and <del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">arguments</del>. Levitin <del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">covers plausibility checks</del>, <del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">statistical literacy</del>, Bayesian reasoning and <del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">how </del>to <del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">judge expertise</del>. The book <del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">was also published as Weaponized Lies</del>. <del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">It</del>'s <del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">a strong teaching text </del>for <del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">everyday information hygiene</del>.</div></td><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="+"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Daniel J. Levitin, a </ins>neuroscientist <ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">and cognitive psychologist at McGill University best known for ''This Is Your Brain on Music'', published this book in 2016. It is a </ins>practical <ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">guide to </ins>evaluating <ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">the information people encounter every day, organized as a set of skills rather than a list of debunked claims. A later paperback edition was retitled ''Weaponized Lies''.</ins></div></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-side-deleted"></td><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="+"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-side-deleted"></td><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="+"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">=== Evaluating </ins>numbers <ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">===</ins></div></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-side-deleted"></td><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="+"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">The first part deals with statistics and graphs. Levitin teaches readers to check whether a number is even plausible before accepting it, often with a quick estimate. He explains how averages can mislead</ins>, <ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">how </ins>graphs <ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">distort through manipulated axes and scales</ins>, <ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">how to read probabilities correctly </ins>and <ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">how the way a sample is collected determines what it can show. Many of the examples are everyday ones, from news reports to advertisements.</ins></div></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-side-deleted"></td><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="+"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-side-deleted"></td><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="+"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">=== Evaluating words ===</ins></div></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-side-deleted"></td><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="+"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">The second part turns to verbal claims</ins>. Levitin <ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">explains how to judge expertise: whether a source actually has knowledge in the relevant field, and whether its claims have been checked by others. He shows how to look for alternative explanations a claim leaves out. He also discusses "counterknowledge," misinformation packaged to look like fact</ins>, <ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">which spreads quickly because it often seems more interesting than the truth.</ins></div></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-side-deleted"></td><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="+"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-side-deleted"></td><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="+"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">=== Evaluating the world ===</ins></div></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-side-deleted"></td><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="+"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">The third part explains how science works and how to reason about evidence. Levitin introduces deduction and induction</ins>, <ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">explains common logical fallacies and offers an accessible introduction to </ins>Bayesian reasoning<ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">: updating beliefs in proportion to the strength of new evidence. He applies these ideas to real cases, showing how a careful thinker would work through a confusing claim.</ins></div></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-side-deleted"></td><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="+"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-side-deleted"></td><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="+"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">=== The approach ===</ins></div></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-side-deleted"></td><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="+"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Levitin's emphasis throughout is on habits rather than cynicism. He argues that the goal is not to doubt everything but to know which questions to ask </ins>and to <ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">make quick, reasonable judgments about what deserves trust</ins>.</div></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-side-deleted"></td><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="+"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-side-deleted"></td><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="+"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">=== Relevance to Bullshitopedia ===</ins></div></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-side-deleted"></td><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="+"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The book <ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">is one of the most accessible practical guides in the bibliography and suits new editors and general readers alike</ins>. <ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Its plausibility checks and source-evaluation questions map directly onto the Statistical &amp; Evidentiary Distortion tactic and onto the site</ins>'s <ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">standards </ins>for <ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">judging evidence</ins>.</div></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br></td><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>== Related entries ==</div></td><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>== Related entries ==</div></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" id="mw-diff-left-l20">Line 20:</td> <td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno">Line 35:</td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>== External links ==</div></td><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>== External links ==</div></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>* [https://openlibrary.org/search?isbn=9781101983828 Open Library record]</div></td><td class="diff-marker"></td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>* [https://openlibrary.org/search?isbn=9781101983828 Open Library record]</div></td></tr> <tr><td class="diff-marker" data-marker="−"></td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"></del></div></td><td colspan="2" class="diff-side-added"></td></tr> </table>

Paulsiegel https://bullshitopedia.org/index.php?title=Library:A_Field_Guide_to_Lies&diff=198&oldid=prev 2026-09-25T07:43:52Z

<p>1 revision imported</p> <table style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122;" data-mw-interface=""> <tr class="diff-title" lang="en"> <td colspan="1" style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122; text-align: center;">← Older revision</td> <td colspan="1" style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122; text-align: center;">Revision as of 07:43, 25 September 2026</td> </tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-notice" lang="en"><div class="mw-diff-empty">(No difference)</div> </td></tr></table>

Paulsiegel https://bullshitopedia.org/index.php?title=Library:A_Field_Guide_to_Lies&diff=197&oldid=prev 2026-09-24T12:00:00Z

<p>Bullshitopedia taxonomy V1 + Library import</p> <p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Book<br /> | title = A Field Guide to Lies: Critical Thinking in the Information Age<br /> | author = Daniel J. Levitin<br /> | year = 2016<br /> | isbn = 978-1-101-98382-8<br /> | isbn_verified = <br /> | role = Analysis<br /> | domain1 = Science &amp; Environment<br /> | domain2 = Technology &amp; Media<br /> | tactic1 = Statistical &amp; Evidentiary Distortion<br /> }}<br /> &#039;&#039;&#039;&#039;&#039;A Field Guide to Lies: Critical Thinking in the Information Age&#039;&#039;&#039;&#039;&#039; is a 2016 book by Daniel J. Levitin.<br /> <br /> == Summary ==<br /> A neuroscientist offers practical tools for evaluating numbers, graphs, sources and arguments. Levitin covers plausibility checks, statistical literacy, Bayesian reasoning and how to judge expertise. The book was also published as Weaponized Lies. It&#039;s a strong teaching text for everyday information hygiene.<br /> <br /> == Related entries ==<br /> &lt;!-- Link claim entries this book documents, e.g. * [[Tobacco does not cause cancer]] --&gt;<br /> <br /> == External links ==<br /> * [https://openlibrary.org/search?isbn=9781101983828 Open Library record]<br /> </div>

bsp>Taxonomy import