Via Negativa: The Power of Knowing What Not to Do
A reflection on the powerful decision-making strategy of via negativa and what it has in common with exploding whales and inner daemons.
Critical Thinking
Posts on critical thinking covering analytical techniques, mental models, logical fallacies, cognitive biases, writing and more
5 Decision-Making Heuristics Everyone Should Know
A reflection on five useful decision-making heuristics, mental shortcuts designed to solve problems fast and make thinking more efficient.
Cargo Cults: How to Fail Your Way to Success
A reflection on the peculiar phenomenon of Cargo Cults, a belief that things of value can be obtained through mere mimicry.
How to Ask Good Questions: 5 Ways to Discover the Truth
An exploration of the power of good questions and five ways to ask them. From Story-eliciting Questions to the Columbo Method.
Cobra Effects: Why the Road to Hell Is Paved With Bad Incentives
A reflection on Cobra Effects and how fateful interventions and perverse incentives can lead to unintended negative consequences.
Reading List: How to Think for Yourself in 2026
Explore a selection of my reading list with insightful books on critical thinking, decision-making, philosophy, storytelling and more.
The Law of Unintended Consequences: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
An exploration of the Law of Unintended Consequences, an adage about undesirable or unexpected side-effects of our life’s decisions.
Premortem Analysis: How to Anticipate Failure
A deep dive into Premortem Analysis, a technique designed to foresee spectacular failures before they happen.
5 Books on Intelligence Analysis to Level Up Your Critical Thinking Skills
A collection of fascinating books on intelligence analysis, a field with a surprisingly rich literature about critical thinking.
Atwood’s Duck: How to Achieve Perfection
A reflection on Atwood’s Duck, a cunning manoeuvre to keep a manager from making unnecessary changes to a project. But it’s not without risk.
How to Get Better at Writing in 7+1 Steps
A guide on how to get better at writing. Learn how to balance the contradictory demands of making good writing seem effortless.
5 Books on Critical Thinking to Help You Develop a Reflective Mind
A collection of some of the most insightful books on critical thinking. How can we improve the quality of our reasoning?
Four Stages of Competence: How We Learn New Skills
An exploration of the Four Stages of Competence, a learning model that details how we progress from mindless ignorance to effortless mastery.
Informal Fallacies: 11 Argumentative Errors Worth Avoiding
A collection of informal fallacies, argumentative errors that put appearance over substance. Know thy true Scotsman and avoid the Pooh-Pooh.
The Feynman Technique 2.0: How to Level Up Your Learning
A deep dive into the Feynman Technique, a method designed to learn through teaching. How can we upgrade it with a few teaching principles?
