Tag: Critical thinking
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The Collective Brain
Previously I wrote that trust cannot replace judgement. Today I want to explore how judgement is formed collectively. Most boards are filled with capable, intelligent people. Yet even smart boards sometimes miss important risks, ask too few questions, or move too quickly to consensus. The reason is simple: no individual sees everything. Well-constructed boards strive…
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Trust Does Not Replace Judgement
Imagine a board meeting where everyone agrees that the Executive Director is competent, hardworking, and deeply committed to the organization. The reports are clear. Projects appear to be progressing. The organization is stable. There are no obvious warning signs. No significant risks have been identified for discussion. As a result, questions are few and predictable.…
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When Rights Aren’t the Answer
I was talking about ethics at The Foundation for Critical Thinking Conference and I made this statement: “Despite a valiant attempt, sociologists have been unable to identify something that is considered universally wrong.” I think it is interesting that the closest the researchers came was that you shouldn’t take something that doesn’t belong to you.…
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Professional Judgement Is Not a Hat
A good friend of mine used to get very annoyed with the phrase “professional judgement”. He argued that you either had judgement or not – it was not a hat you put on when you’re being professional. And in a way, he was right – but incomplete. Judgement isn’t a hat you put on, but…
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The Problem Isn’t the Politics — It’s the Performance
We blame the media for the noise, but the real issue is the performance we demand.
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Fear, Faith, and the AI Box We Can’t See Into
Inspired by Tim Higgins’ October 18, 2025 WSJ article👉 The Fight Over Whose AI Monster Is Scariest – WSJ I’ll be the first to admit: I am not an AI expert.I use it. I’m curious about how it will evolve.But I couldn’t look into the box and explain how it works—and that doesn’t worry me…
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The Role of a Constructive Critic in Governance
I had the pleasure, some years ago, of attending a social gathering at Queen’s Park in Toronto. At some point I was introduced to someone and in a whispered aside was told – he is the (portfolio) critic. I shook his hand and said, “that’s the job I want.” He didn’t think it was funny…
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