Upon Reflection

Education

Which Trendy Teaching Techniques Actually Work?

Nick Byrd Ph.D. on September 6, 2024

How many common teaching techniques have actually been tested? Of those that have been tested, what were the results? The answers may surprise you. They surprised this educator!

How many common teaching techniques have actually been tested? Of those that have been tested, what were the results? The answers may surprise you. They surprised this educator!

Artificial Intelligence

Why Does Size Matter in Large Language Models?

Nick Byrd Ph.D. on January 3, 2024

Do large language models need to be so large? Perhaps not. Smaller models have outperformed much larger models when using a certain reasoning strategy.

Do large language models need to be so large? Perhaps not. Smaller models have outperformed much larger models when using a certain reasoning strategy.

Social Networking

Unity and Division on the Internet

Nick Byrd Ph.D. on May 4, 2023

We should not let our biases cloud our judgment of the Internet's costs and benefits.

We should not let our biases cloud our judgment of the Internet's costs and benefits.

Race and Ethnicity

Justice, Nationalism, Christianity, and Race

Nick Byrd Ph.D. on January 17, 2022

Should our country's needs come before greater needs in other countries? Christian leaders like Dr. King had a view, but some Christians disagreed. They also disagreed about race.

Should our country's needs come before greater needs in other countries? Christian leaders like Dr. King had a view, but some Christians disagreed. They also disagreed about race.

Bias

Belief Bias, Polarization, and Potential Solutions

Nick Byrd Ph.D. on December 25, 2021

Our prior beliefs can trick us into misinterpreting arguments and evidence. Here's why it matters and what we may be able to do about it.

Our prior beliefs can trick us into misinterpreting arguments and evidence. Here's why it matters and what we may be able to do about it.

Dunning-Kruger Effect

Can We Estimate Our Own Ability to Reason?

Nick Byrd Ph.D. on July 20, 2021

Various studies have found a disconnect between self-reported and behavioral measures of reasoning habits.

Various studies have found a disconnect between self-reported and behavioral measures of reasoning habits.

Bias

Bias: What Is It? And When Is It Bad?

Nick Byrd Ph.D. on April 17, 2021

Some biases are uncontroversially bad, while others are mundane or beneficial. However, discerning the difference is more complicated than many people seem to think.

Some biases are uncontroversially bad, while others are mundane or beneficial. However, discerning the difference is more complicated than many people seem to think.