What are mental models? Why have them? How to use them?

Music from BenSound.com

00 Introduction

Gordian knots and Chesterton fences are two ends of one model for how to make decisions based on the history of a situation.

Music from BenSound.com

#01 Gordian knots and Chesterton fences

Looking wide at the other possible outcomes. 

#02 Alternative Histories

What are the 3 "filters against folly" and how can we use them as a mental model? 

Music from BenSound.com

#03 Hardin's 3 Filters

Music from BenSounds.com

POTRT is a tool to kickstart our thinking, to get us to disect intractable problems and to get past the availability bias. 

#04 Part of the reason thinking (POTRT)

We use examples from Dan Carlin to talk more about Chesterton fences, the literate filter, and opportunity costs.

Music by BenSounds.com

#05 Examples from Dan Carlin

The lock that blocks the room of alternative histories. 

#06 Survivor Bias

In what ways can we install or remove small barriers to add friction or "grease the skids" for the important things in life. 

#07 Small Barriers

What are base rates and why are they so dang helpful? With a soundtrack from Meghan Trainor, quotes from Bill Simmons, and a framework from Daniel Kahneman we'll talk about making better decisions. 

#08 Base rates and intuition

Different episode, the type I'm more likely to do. The full notes for this episode and explanation are at https://medium.com/mikes-mental-models. 

#09 Moving from Mental Models to Mike's Notes

A track from my new series (https://soundcloud.com/mikesnotes). 

Mike's Mental Models

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