The TEam
Jonathan Maloney, phd candidate
Founder, Principal Content Editor, President
Physics, Northern Illinois University, Ph.D. (2023)
Physics, Northern Illinois University, M.S.
Applied Mathematics, Northern Illinois University, B.S.
Geology, Northern Illinois University, B.S.
At one point in my life, I found myself in the grips of a pseudo-scientific worldview. In particular, I had irrational fears regarding….Read more →
Patrick Maloney, phd, mph
Epidemiologist & Science Writer
Specialization in Infectious Diseases, Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, and Global Health.
Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC).
Senior Epidemiologist, Nebraska Department of Public Health.
Epidemiology, Biostatistics (Minor), Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, PhD.
My career in Epidemiology spans almost a decade, beginning when I took a post with The Phoenix Projects, an organization dedicated to the expansion of…. Read more →
Elissar Gerges, EdD
Science Writer
Educational Leadership, Western University, Ed.D
Curriculum Studies and Teacher Development, University of Toronto, M.Ed
Teacher Leadership, Walden University, M.Ed
Biology, American University of Beirut, B.S.
We live in a world where the entirety of human knowledge is readily accessible at our fingertips and sharing this information is just a click away. There is no doubt that social media has increasingly become a primary source of information for many. Moreover, how we view this information…. Read more →
Gaurav Dubey, Ms
Science Writer & Digital Marketing Professional
Biotechnology, Rush University, M.S.
Biology, University of Miami, B.S.
Philosophy, University of Miami, B.A.
Founder & President of Karmik LLC; an evidence-based content marketing & public relations firm for science-minded E-commerce business.
As with many of my colleagues, I entered university with the sole intention of becoming a physician. My passion for problem solving in the context of science, health and medicine….. Read more →
GarretT Wise, Bs
Science & Philosophy Writer
Physics, Northern Illinois University, B.S.
Philosophy, Northern Illinois University, Minor.
Having a lifelong love affair with science, Garrett entered university to pursue a career as a scientist. Having been influenced by….. Read more →
The Story
At one point in my life, I found myself in the grips of a pseudoscientific worldview. In particular, I had irrational fears regarding the safety of both GMOs and vaccines. Through hours of “research,” I had convinced myself that somehow the science wasn't settled and that there was more to the story that we weren't being told. In my defense, I had grown up to a parent who was an alternative-healthcare practitioner and these irrational fears had been indoctrinated at a young age.
At some point in my late twenties and after years of working in the industry, everything changed for me. I began to study logic, a branch of philosophy, to learn the structure of arguments, the different types of arguments, as well as the concept of a logical fallacy. Further, I discovered cognitive psychology and how heuristics (i.e., mental shortcuts) can lead to pitfalls in cognition known as cognitive biases. I then used what I learned to evaluate my own beliefs. Why do I believe this? Why is this person an authority figure? How do we know that science works? My whole worldview was critically analyzed using the skills that I had learned. In the end, this process forced me to change some of my long-held beliefs.
Now, more than ever, we live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with information due to the invention of the internet and the myriad of technical devices that give us constant access to it. However, all this access does have a dark side. We have a President yelling “Fake News!”, individuals impersonating “experts” on YouTube, Google “researchers,” get rich quick charlatans, and many more who are more than happy to spread lies to get your attention. The solution to combating this growing threat is to become a better “critical thinker,” which is the primary goal of this site.
And before I forget, I’m a scientist. Specifically, I’m a PhD candidate in physics and if I can convince myself that GMOs and vaccines are not safe, then anyone can. Therefore, it is all of our responsibilities to become better critical thinkers and I intend to help you get there. What is more, on your path to becoming a critical thinker, you will most likely have to re-evaluate some of your own beliefs, which can be uncomfortable. Don't worry; this is a part of the process. One of the most important lessons you are going to learn here is the ability to change your beliefs when presented with new information. You must open yourself up to the possibility of being wrong.
Think Critically,
*Note: We will often use "big words" throughout this site as we intend to expand your vocabulary. Links to definitions will be included.