Michael Shermer: The pattern behind self-deception

The video explores the nature of belief, pattern recognition, and cognitive errors. It discusses how humans are naturally inclined to believe and find patterns, even in meaningless noise, due to evolutionary processes. The role of dopamine in pattern recognition and its impact on creativity and psychotic behavior is examined. The concept of agenticity, where people attribute intention and agency to patterns, is linked to belief in conspiracy theories. The video also demonstrates cognitive priming and visual illusions, highlighting how perception can be easily fooled.

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