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The Slow Lantern

No. 14 · Winter

Issue

No. 14

Fig. 1 — One small light

The index

  1. 01 Thinking Tools

    Base Rates: A Short History of Starting With the Usual Case

    Before you judge the particular story in front of you, ask how often things like it turn out one way or another. Here is where that habit came from, who first made it precise, and how it can steady an ordinary guess about a new café.

    9 min Newest
  2. 02 Either, Or

    Study Alone or With a Friend? Two Ways to Learn Something Hard

    Solitary study gives you focus and your own pace. A study partner gives you questions, encouragement and a gentle deadline. Here is what each does well, why, and how to tell which suits you.

    8 min
  3. 03 Thinking Tools

    The Dunning-Kruger Trap Is Smaller Than You Think: A Gentler Way to Check Your Own Confidence

    Feeling surer than you should about something new is not a flaw. It is what happens when you have not yet seen how big the subject is. Here is why it happens, and three small checks that keep your confidence honest.

    9 min
  4. 04 Either, Or

    Notebook or Phone? A Fair Comparison for Catching Ideas

    A pocket notebook and a phone notes app both catch ideas, but they fail in different ways. Here is a patient comparison of speed, distraction, searchability and pleasure, with a free two-week trial to find out which suits you.

    9 min
  5. 05 Craft of Attention

    Notice, Then Name: Where the Habit of Looking Closely Came From

    Look at one ordinary thing for a minute and put words to three details you hadn't seen before. It's a small exercise with a surprisingly long history, from a nineteenth-century fish on a laboratory tray to the way plants got their names.

    9 min
  6. 06 Either, Or

    Paper Lists or Sticky Notes? A Fair Comparison for Keeping Track of Tasks

    One running list or a handful of sticky notes? Each gives you something the other can't, and the better choice depends on how your days actually go. Here is a plain comparison, with a table and a few ways to decide.

    8 min
  7. 07 Classic Ideas

    Montaigne on Conversation: Why Disagreement Can Be a Pleasure

    Four centuries before anyone told us to "listen actively", Michel de Montaigne argued that the best conversation is one where you might leave knowing something new, not one you win. Here is the idea in plain words, with a few small habits for the kitchen table.

    9 min
  8. 08 Thinking Tools

    Second-Order Thinking: Asking "And Then What?"

    Second-order thinking is the habit of following a choice one step further than feels natural. Here is how it works, where it helps, and why it should stay out of the way when you're choosing a biscuit.

    8 min
  9. 09 Thinking Tools

    Occam's Razor, Without the Mystique: Where the Idea Came From and What It's Good For

    When two explanations fit the facts equally well, which should you try first? A short history of Occam's razor, a worked kitchen puzzle with the arithmetic shown, and an honest look at where simple stops being a good guide.

    9 min
  10. 10 Learning Hard Things

    Learning to Read a Chart Without Fear: A Beginner's Path

    A chart is a small piece of writing in a different alphabet. Three plain questions about what the axes say, how the scale is set and what is missing will get you through most of them.

    9 min
  11. 11 Curiosity

    Why Do Questions Feel Better Than Answers? A Note on Curiosity

    A good open question keeps the mind lit in a way a tidy answer often can't. Here is a small, gentle habit for keeping a few questions close, looking one up each week, and asking them aloud.

    8 min
  12. 12 Thinking Tools

    The Pre-Mortem: Imagining Your Plan Has Gone Wrong Before You Start

    A pre-mortem asks you to picture your plan having already failed, then list the reasons why. It's a small, cheerful habit that works on camping trips and birthday dinners, and it takes about five minutes.

    8 min