10 modern day thought leaders on critical thinking

Daniel Kahneman: As a psychologist and Nobel Prize-winning economist,

Daniel Kahneman is an Israeli-American psychologist and economist, born on March 5, 1934 in Tel Aviv, Palestine (now Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel). He is notable for his groundbreaking work on the psychology of judgment and decision-making, as well as behavioral economics. Kahneman’s research has helped to challenge the traditional economic theory of rational decision-making and has revealed the many cognitive biases that can affect our decision-making processes.

In 2002, Kahneman was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, which he shared with Vernon L. Smith. The award recognized his pioneering work in integrating psychological research into economic science and his contributions to the development of prospect theory, which describes how people make decisions under conditions of uncertainty.

Kahneman is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the Philosophical Society, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a fellow of the American Psychological Association, the American Psychological Society, the Society of Experimental Psychologists, and the Econometric Society. He has published numerous articles and books, including the influential “Thinking, Fast and Slow,” which explores the two systems of thinking that drive our decision-making processes. Daniel Kahneman’s work has had a profound impact on the fields of psychology and economics, and his insights continue to shape our understanding of how we make decisions in the world around us.

Adam Grant: An organizational psychologist,

Adam Grant is an organizational psychologist, born on August 13, 1981, in West Bloomfield, Michigan. He is a professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he specializes in organizational psychology. Grant is also a bestselling author, and his work focuses on exploring the science of motivation, generosity, original thinking, and rethinking.

Grant has been recognized as Wharton’s top-rated professor for seven straight years. He is a leading expert on how we can find motivation and meaning, and live more generous and creative lives. Grant has published several books, including “Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World,” “Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success,” and “Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy,” which he co-wrote with Sheryl Sandberg.

Grant is also a popular speaker and has given talks at TED, the World Economic Forum, and other prestigious events. He hosts the “WorkLife” podcast, which explores the science of how we work and how to make work more meaningful. In 2022, he launched a new podcast, “ReThinking with Adam Grant,” in collaboration with the TED Audio Collective.

Adam Grant’s work has had a significant impact on the fields of psychology and organizational behavior. His insights into motivation, creativity, and generosity have helped individuals and organizations alike to achieve greater success and fulfillment.

Angela Duckworth:

Angela Duckworth is a MacArthur “genius” grant recipient and professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Born on January 23, 1970, in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, she is best known for her research on grit and self-control, which has helped to revolutionize our understanding of achievement and success.

Duckworth earned her BA in neurobiology from Harvard University and her MSc in neuroscience from Oxford University. She then went on to earn her PhD in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. After completing her studies, she worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company before returning to academia.

Duckworth’s research has focused on the role of non-cognitive factors, such as grit, in predicting success. She has shown that individuals who are able to persevere in the face of challenges and setbacks are more likely to achieve their goals than those who lack this trait. Her work has been widely recognized, and she was awarded a MacArthur “genius” grant in 2013 for her contributions to the field of psychology.

Duckworth is also the founder and CEO of Character Lab, a nonprofit organization that aims to promote the development of character strengths, such as grit and self-control, in children and young adults. She has authored numerous articles and books, including the bestselling “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance,” which has been translated into over 20 languages.

Angela Duckworth’s work has had a profound impact on our understanding of achievement and success. Her research has challenged traditional notions of intelligence and has shown that non-cognitive factors play a critical role in determining our ability to achieve our goals.

Steven Pinker:

Steven Pinker is a Canadian-American cognitive psychologist, linguist, and popular science author, born on September 18, 1954, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He is a professor of psychology at Harvard University and has made significant contributions to the fields of cognitive psychology, psycholinguistics, and evolutionary psychology.

Pinker earned his BA in psychology from McGill University in 1976 and his PhD in experimental psychology from Harvard University in 1979. He then went on to teach at Harvard, Stanford, and MIT before returning to Harvard in 2003.

Pinker’s research has focused on language acquisition, language processing, and the relationship between language and thought. He has authored several influential books, including “The Language Instinct,” “How the Mind Works,” and “The Blank Slate,” which have helped to popularize the field of cognitive psychology and psycholinguistics.

Pinker is also a prominent public intellectual and has written for numerous publications, including The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Atlantic. He has been a guest on many television and radio programs, including The Colbert Report, The Daily Show, and Radiolab.

In addition to his academic and popular writing, Pinker has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the field of psychology. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2002 and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2008. He has also received several honorary doctorates from universities around the world.

Steven Pinker’s work has had a significant impact on our understanding of language, thought, and the mind. His research has helped to shape the field of cognitive psychology and has led to important insights into the way we process information and communicate with one another.

His book, “The Better Angels of Our Nature,” challenges conventional wisdom about the decline of violence and offers a data-driven perspective on human progress.

Carol Dweck: A professor of psychology at Stanford University,

Carol Dweck is a professor of psychology at Stanford University, born on October 17, 1946, in New York City. She is best known for her research on motivation and mindset, which has helped to revolutionize our understanding of how people approach challenges and setbacks.

Dweck earned her BA from Barnard College in 1967 and her PhD from Yale University in 1972. She then went on to teach at Columbia University, Harvard University, and the University of Illinois before joining the faculty at Stanford in 2004.

Dweck’s research has focused on the concept of mindset, which refers to the beliefs and attitudes that individuals hold about their abilities and potential. She has shown that individuals with a growth mindset, who believe that their abilities can be developed through hard work and dedication, are more likely to achieve their goals than those with a fixed mindset, who believe that their abilities are fixed and cannot be changed.

Dweck has authored numerous articles and books, including the bestselling “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success,” which has been translated into over 25 languages. She has also received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to the field of psychology, including the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award from the American Psychological Association and the Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology.

In addition to her research, Dweck is a popular speaker and has given talks at TED, the World Economic Forum, and other prestigious events. She has also consulted with businesses, sports teams, and educational institutions on how to foster a growth mindset in their employees and students.

Carol Dweck’s work has had a profound impact on our understanding of motivation, achievement, and success. Her research has shown that the way we think about our abilities and potential can have a significant impact on our ability to achieve our goals, and her insights continue to shape the way we approach challenges and setbacks.

Daniel Dennett:

Daniel Dennett is an American philosopher and cognitive scientist, born on March 28, 1942, in Boston, Massachusetts. He is best known for his research on the philosophy of mind, philosophy of science, and philosophy of biology, particularly as those fields relate to evolutionary biology and cognitive science.

Dennett earned his BA in philosophy from Harvard University in 1963 and his PhD in philosophy from the University of Oxford in 1965. He then went on to teach at the University of California, Irvine, and Tufts University, where he is currently a professor of philosophy and co-director of the Center for Cognitive Studies.

Dennett’s research has focused on the nature of consciousness, free will, and the evolution of the mind. He has challenged traditional views of consciousness and argued that it can be explained in terms of information processing and neural activity. He has also explored the concept of free will and has argued that it is compatible with a deterministic view of the universe.

Dennett has authored numerous articles and books, including “Consciousness Explained,” “Darwin’s Dangerous Idea,” and “Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon.” He has also received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the field of philosophy, including the Erasmus Prize, the Gottlieb Duttweiler Prize, and the John Locke Prize.

In addition to his academic work, Dennett is a prominent public intellectual and has written for numerous publications, including The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Atlantic. He has also appeared on many television and radio programs, including The Colbert Report, The Daily Show, and Radiolab.

Daniel Dennett’s work has had a significant impact on our understanding of consciousness, free will, and the evolution of the mind. His insights have challenged traditional views of these concepts and have led to important advances in the field of cognitive science and philosophy.

Amos Tversky:

Amos Tversky was an Israeli psychologist, born on March 16, 1937, in Haifa, Israel. He is best known for his research on decision-making and cognitive psychology, particularly as those fields relate to human judgment and the handling of risk.

Tversky earned his BA in psychology and mathematics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1958 and his PhD in psychology from the University of Michigan in 1965. He then went on to teach at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and later at Stanford University, where he was a professor of psychology until his death in 1996.

Tversky’s research focused on the ways in which people make decisions under conditions of uncertainty and how cognitive biases can affect those decisions. He collaborated with psychologist Daniel Kahneman to develop prospect theory, which describes how people make decisions when faced with uncertain outcomes. Their work challenged traditional economic theories of rational decision-making and has had a significant impact on the fields of psychology, economics, and decision-making.

Tversky authored numerous articles and books, including “Judgment under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases” and “The Psychology of Learning and Motivation.” He received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the field of psychology, including the William James Award from the American Psychological Society and the Grawemeyer Award in Psychology.

In addition to his academic work, Tversky was also a skilled chess player and served in the Israeli army. He was married to Barbara Tversky, a cognitive psychologist who also taught at Stanford University.

Amos Tversky’s work has had a profound impact on our understanding of decision-making and cognitive psychology. His insights into the ways in which people make decisions under conditions of uncertainty have challenged traditional views of rationality and have led to important advances in the field of psychology.

Nassim Nicholas Taleb:

Nassim Nicholas Taleb is a Lebanese-American essayist, former trader, risk analyst, and scholar, born on September 1, 1960, in Amioun, Lebanon. He is best known for his work on probability, randomness, and uncertainty, particularly as those concepts relate to financial markets and risk management.

Taleb earned his BS in mathematics from the University of Paris in 1980 and his MS in management from the École supérieure des sciences économiques et commerciales in 1981. He then went on to work as a trader and risk analyst for several financial institutions, including Credit Suisse and UBS, before turning to academia.

Taleb’s research has focused on the concept of “black swans,” which are rare and unpredictable events that have a major impact on financial markets and other systems. He has argued that traditional risk management strategies are inadequate for dealing with black swans and that a more robust approach is needed.

Taleb has authored numerous books, including “The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable,” “Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder,” and “Skin in the Game: Hidden Asymmetries in Daily Life.” He has also received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the field of finance, including the Bruno Prize and the Wolfram Innovator Award.

In addition to his academic work, Taleb is also a public intellectual and has written for numerous publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg. He has also been a guest on many television and radio programs, including The Daily Show, CNBC, and BBC Radio.

Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s work has had a significant impact on our understanding of risk management and financial markets. His insights into the nature of black swans and the limitations of traditional risk management strategies have challenged conventional wisdom and have led to important advances in the field of finance.

Edward de Bono:

Edward de Bono was a Maltese psychologist, physician, author, inventor, and consultant, born on May 19, 1933, in Malta. He is best known for his work on creativity, lateral thinking, and problem-solving, particularly as those concepts relate to education and business.

De Bono earned his MD from the University of Malta in 1956 and his PhD in psychology from the University of Cambridge in 1963. He then went on to teach at the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, and London, and later at Harvard University.

De Bono’s research has focused on the concept of lateral thinking, which refers to the ability to approach problems from unconventional angles and to generate creative solutions. He has developed numerous techniques for fostering lateral thinking, including the Six Thinking Hats method, which encourages individuals to approach problems from multiple perspectives.

De Bono has authored numerous books, including “The Mechanism of Mind,” “Lateral Thinking,” and “Six Thinking Hats.” He has also received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the field of psychology, including the Commander of the British Empire (CBE) and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Creativity Association.

In addition to his academic work, de Bono was also a consultant for businesses and governments around the world, helping them to develop strategies for innovation and problem-solving. He was a popular speaker and gave talks at numerous conferences and events.

Edward de Bono’s work has had a significant impact on our understanding of creativity, lateral thinking, and problem-solving. His insights into the nature of creativity and his techniques for fostering lateral thinking have been widely adopted in education and business, and his work continues to inspire individuals around the world. De Bono passed away on June 9, 2021.

Julia Galef: As a writer and speaker,