This document discusses the concept of magical thinking and how it can lead people to make incorrect causal connections between unrelated events. It provides examples of how coincidences can be misinterpreted, confirmation bias can lead people to seek patterns that are not really there, and how symbols can take on powerful meanings even if their supposed effects have no scientific basis. The document advocates for critical thinking to avoid being misled by logical fallacies and improbable causal explanations. It does so through a series of short sections with provocative titles discussing topics like vaccines and autism, faith healing, and symbolic medicine.

1. Magical Thinking
Gabe Ortiz @signalnine

2. “Magical thinking is the
interpreting of two closely
occurring events as though one
caused the other without any
concern for the causal link.”

3. The Post-Hoc
Fallacy
Coincidences
The Power of
Symbols

4. the
post-hoc
fallacy

5. post hoc ergo
propter hoc
correlation is not causation

6. Causality is hard.

7. VACCINES AND AUTISM

8. Jenny
McCarthy
is an idiot.

9. coincidences: the law of big numbers

10. The world is a
pretty big place,
sometimes strange
things happen.
That doesn’t make those
events unexplainable.

11. FAITH HEALING AND GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICHES

12. CONFIRMATION BIAS
LOOKING FOR MIRACLES IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES

13. We are hardwired to see
patterns in everything.

14. “WAKE UP, SHEEPLE!”

15. the power of symbols

16. Symbols are
powerful tools.

17. SYMBOLIC MEDICINE AND OTHER GAMES OF CHANCE

18. Like cures like.
Then, you dilute it until
there’s nothing left.

19. SAINTS AND BAD TELEVISION

20. CRITICAL THINKING. NOT JUST
FOR DUDES WITH BEARDS
ANYMORE.