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Define: The belief that authorities hide truth to protect their interests.

Connection: Conspiracy theories about "Big Pharma" hiding a cancer cure to protect there profits, but no evidence from a reputable source actually supports this. The scientific process is transparent, and if there was a major breakthrough in cancer research it would be widely known, not hidden from public knowledge.

Define: A claim or theory is not valid just because it is supported by authority.

Connection: Celebrity endorsements typically just exploit their influence rather than actually provide valid evidence. In this TV show about the theory of an ancient apocalypse, Keanu's popularity is used as a way to persuade the audience to believe. What is the actual value of his endorsement? It does not really Debunk anything, just associates familiarity with the theory.

Define: The term "all natural" often serves as a marketing ploy, lacking regulation or evidence, and can mislead people into confusing "natural" with "safe" or "better".

Connection: St. John's Wort is an alternative medicine, probably one of the most popular/sold. It is used as a alternative to mental health treatments. The companies with financial interest in this will often push that is "all natural" with the intention it will be interpreted as safer or better. But, if you evaluate evidence present, it is not clear if that is the truth.

Define: Proof by verbosity is overwhelming amounts of information often irrelevant, weak, or false. Presented to create the illusion of a solid argument.

Connection: Homeopathic remedies use proof by verbosity to throw lots of fancy words and anecdotes at people, making claims sound convincing without backing them up with the Scientific Method. Without the Critical thinking process, evaluating the evidence and recognizing bias these remedies will often get the pass.

Define: A red herring is a distraction tactic that introduced misleading or irrelevant information to divert away from the main claim, this creates confusion.

Connection: Climate change denial arguments will often use red herrings to distract from the lack of demonstrable validity to their argument. This tactic shows their distorted view of the truth, using other arguments about green energy cost or global trends to divert from the evidence based discussion.

Define: Patternicity is spotting patterns or connections in random things, which can sometimes lead to belief in ideas without evidence.

Connection: The Face on Mars is a plain and simple example of Patternicity, where people perceive shapes as a human face, in a random rock formation. This belief existed because many skipped defining the claim and evaluating the source of the image. When applying the critical thinking process, it can be debunked as a random rock formation.

Define: Agenticity is believing that events or patterns are connected and intentional, even when there is no evidence to support that is was purposeful.

Connection: The QAnon Conspiracy survives on agenticity, believers attribute intentional action to unrelated events, thinking that there is a agenda behind global events. Failing to use the critical thinking process and reaching a summary conclusion based on logic and evidence, these conspiracies can become easy to believe in.

Define: Perception and Observation are how individuals gather/interpret information , forming beliefs often based on what they hear, see, experience etc. This can easily be influenced by bias and persuasion.

Connection: Belief in the Loch Ness Monster shows how perception and observation can warp reality. Most evidence for the Loch Ness Monster relies heavily on eye witness accounts, which is individual perceptions, easily influenced by a variety of factors. Even photos rely heavily on observation and perception. A lack of practice for critical thinking can belittle the logic and make people believe what there eyes see.

Define: Ideology, as a reason for belief is a set of values or principals that will shape an individuals ability to interpret information and make decisions.

Connection: The belief that vaccines are harmful highlights the effect that ideology can have on perception and belief. People adhering to belief often will ignore the scientific method, which requires logic and thought to verify claims. They might also bypass skepticism, ignoring the validity of the information. Ideologies will often reject vaccines, showing untrust in corporate and government entities. Although ideology might not always be a false trust, it can cause overlook of important information.

Define: Inability of claim/belief to adapt to new information or discoveries.

Connection: Astrology shows how pseudoscience "does not progress" because it clings to the same rules and ideas it has had for centuries without adapting. Science constantly builds on new information and evidence. Astrology just stays in the same framework, well new science comes out to debunk it every year.

Define: Relies on the personal trust in an idea or belief, even when strong scientific evidence contradicts.

Connection: The story of this miracle performed on a drowning boy shows how faith and belief can shape our understanding of events. Even though other medical phenomena's could offer explanations for this miracle, the parents prayers became the main narrative. This shows how personal belief can overpower science, especially for situations that seem unexplainable.

Define: Aligned with a specific belief system, using the validation of that instead of evidence.

Connection: Detox diets appeal to values like natural living and purity, they are seen to align with a natural and healthier lifestyle, although the body is proven to have natural detoxification process. Instead of relying on a reputable source or evaluating evidence, these claims gain credibility by resonating with the personal beliefs of their audience.