The Conjunction Fallacy (The Linda Problem) & Personal Safety

Gershon Ben Keren

Mon 18th Nov 2024

We all have cognitive biases. Whilst for the most part they help us make quick and largely effective decisions, there are times that they can be unproductive, and cause us unnecessary stresses, and even divert our attention from things we should be looking at and considering in favor of things that don’t warrant our attention etc. Psychologists, Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman, demonstrated this with “The Linda Problem”.  The Linda Problem “Linda is described as a 31-year-old woman who is single, outspoken, and very bright. She majored in philosophy and was deeply concerned with issues of discrimination and social justice. She also...Click To Read More

Abusers & Confirmation Signals

Gershon Ben Keren

Mon 11th Nov 2024

Abusers who engage in Intimate Partner Violence don’t demonstrate or show who they are in the initial stages of the relationship. If they did, their partner would most likely end the relationship and leave them. The idea that “victims” of relationship abuse are somehow weak persons who quickly and easily give in to/accept violence is a naive view/perspective. In fact, the way that partners manage their abuse, once it starts, shows an intelligence and perception, that most of us are fortunate to not need to develop e.g., the acute recognition of changes in behavior, or the identification of subtle mood...Click To Read More

Shakespeare & the Exploration of Violence

Gershon Ben Keren

Mon 4th Nov 2024

In an article from a few weeks ago I looked at the “War Poets” (a group that I studied during High School as part of my English Literature classes) and the contrast between their original romanticized view of violence, and their later disgust, despair, and contempt for conflict after experiencing it firsthand etc. In this article I want to re-visit my English Lit. classes and look at some of the themes that Shakespeare explored concerning violence and how these can help inform us as to what motivates some people to engage in violent acts. To be honest, at the time,...Click To Read More