Category Archives: Counterintuitivities

I find it hard to imagine anything more counterintuitive than the likelihood of a nuclear catastrophe in Japan. The only place in the world that has suffered nuclear attack is Japan. The only people on earth who have ever been … Continue reading →

Buying Legitimacy: How A Group Of California Executives Built An Online College Empire Huffington Post March 10, 2011 by Chris Kirkham CLINTON, Iowa — Inside the red brick campus of Ashford University, perched on a bluff above the Mississippi River, … Continue reading →

Well, we certainly hope not, but in the spirit of counterintuitive thinking, we have to admit, it’s a strong possibility. Ever since airbags, drivers are less likely to feel they need seat belts and therefore more likely to drive without … Continue reading →

Driver Accused of Injuring Brazil Cyclists By MYRNA DOMIT and J. DAVID GOODMAN Published: March 2, 2011, New York Times SÃO PAULO, Brazil — The monthly bicycle ride known as Critical Mass began in the southern city of Porto Alegre … Continue reading →

We Only THINK We Learn Better Using our “Preferred Learning Style” This claim is far from proven, but on the other hand, there’s very little proof that we DO in fact learn better when using our “preferred learning style.” The … Continue reading →

I try to keep my politics in check in the classroom and just be upset about everything no matter which side of the House it comes from, so I apologize that this article has Republicans in the title and wants … Continue reading →

I hope you’re finding me helpful, not only an irritant. If you hate your topic already and need something counterintuitive—and quickly!—and no other suggestion I’ve offered appeals to you, here’s another I’m working on that might turn out to be … Continue reading →

Is it possible long exposure to “procedural TV shows” like CSI has tainted jurors’ expectations? Do citizens sitting on juries expect investigators to have DNA results in 20 minutes, or to employ extremely high-tech methods to catching and convicting every … Continue reading →

If you don’t know already, the team of journalists responsible for the book Freakonomics and the New York Times column of the same name, Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, have greatly influenced my thinking about thinking. They have … Continue reading →