Assignment Paper

Read chapter 15 “The Optimistic Meta-Induction from the History of Everything” in Being Wrong. What are
the key claims (arguments) that she makes about our human experience of error/transformation? Take notes.
The prompt (choose ONE):
1. Find an image online produced by Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, or Frida Kahlo. How does the painting
explore “the gap between representation and reality” (329)? Or say something about our perceptions of
reality? Please copy the image into your mini-essay and name the website it came from.
2. Choose an episode of The Officeor The Simpsons. Analyze the episode in light of what you learned in this
chapter about humor. How is either superiority theory, shared humanity, and/or incongruity theory working?
You’ll want to name the episode and give its number, if possible. And summarize the plot or scene you’ll
focus on for your analysis.
3. Choose one of the sections of the Cognitive Bias Codex (Links to an external site.), which catalogs the
names for some of our biases, thinking flaws, and blindspots. I recommend concentrating on cognitive biases
listed under “Bizarre/funny things stick out more than non-bizarre things” or “We notice when Something
has changed.” Read about this one cognitive bias anywhere online and summarize what you find, with
sources, in your mini-essay. Then connect this concept to anything you read in Ch. 15.
cognitive bias codex.png
Your post should include:
Introduction: Draw your reader in by describing the image or episode you’re analyzing or the cognitive bias
you’re researching. Connect this to a key concept in this chapter of Being Wrong. Please don’t repeat the
question you’re responding to or announce: “I’m going to write about…”
Thesis statement: answer the question in the prompt above with a clear claim. (ie…”Frida Kahlo’s ‘The Two
Friends’ has viewers questioning the intactness of their bodies.”)
Body: Support your argument or analysis with ideas from Being Wrong which you cite with page numbers
(278) and with other things you have read or watched for this exercise. The focus should be on the research
you’ve done and not on your personal experiences.
Conclusion: Why does this matter (to you personally, to your fellow students, to each of us as consumers,
eaters, voters, etc…) What questions or final ideas does this leave you (and your reader) with?
Revise: Make sure you’ve been clear and said exactly what you wanted to say. Check to make sure you’ve
included page number in-text citations and links to outside information if you used it.
Length: Minimum 500 words