Do you have any assumptions to declare?

• Generate knowledge

• Precision

• Scope

• Depth

• Communicate clearly

Data-Free Zone!

This Is Personal...This Is Personal...

• Personal = Generally applicable (at least potentially)

• How different?

• Why is nobody talking about this?

Let Me Say This...Let Me Say This...

• Anecdote

• Principles

• Your ideas and experiences

• Questions for your toolbox

Definitions:1. Assumption

1. a thing that is accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof: they made certain assumptions about the market | [ with clause ] : we're working on the assumption that the time of death was after midnight. [emphasis added.]

2. the action of taking or beginning to take power or responsibility: the assumption of an active role in regional settlements.

Definitions:2. Belief

1. an acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists

2. (belief in) trust, faith, or confidence in someone or something. [Emphasis in original.]

The DifferenceThe DifferenceI assume democracy is the best form of

government.

I believe democracy is the best form of government.

Once Upon A Time...

Once Upon A Time...

Yes, but...

Yes, but...

Four “Laws” of Assumptions

• Invisibility

• Ubiquity/universality

• Power

• Can be chosen

Four “Laws” of Assumptions

• Invisibility

• Ubiquity/universality

• Power

• Can be chosen

In Black & WhiteIn Black & White

Four “Laws” of Assumptions

• Invisibility

• Ubiquity/universality

• Power

• Can be chosen

Four “Laws” of Assumptions

• Invisibility

• Ubiquity/universality

• Power

• Can be chosen

Just 1 Powerful Assumption

Just 1 Powerful Assumption

Four “Laws” of Assumptions

• Invisibility

• Ubiquity/universality

• Power

• Can be chosen

Action/Cause

Not responsibl

e

Responsible

Responsible

Most freedom

Not responsibl

e

Least freedom

ToolsTools

Questions for uncovering assumptions

1.“What has to be true for me to act this way?”

2.“What could I be wrong about?”

More ToolsMore Tools

Questions for testing current assumptions

1.“Can life be workable when I live as if this is true?”

2.“Does this assumption express my values?”

3.“Is starting with this assumption stopping me from acting according to my values?”

Still More ToolsStill More Tools

Matrices

1.Pascal’s Wager

2.Johari Window

You/They

KnowDon’t Know

KnowPublic “Blind

Spot”

Don’t Know

Secrets Hidden

Johari Window

Disclosure

Seek Feedbac

k

Risk/Creativit

y

Still More ToolsStill More ToolsQuestions for creating new assumptions

1.“What if...?”

2.“Just suppose...?”

3.“In a world where [proposed assumption] were true... how would things change then? How would you behave differently?”

4.“If I substitute this new assumption for the old one, what does it ask me to give up?”

Dangerous Assumptions

"Grant an idea or belief to be true," it says, "what concrete difference will its being true make in anyone's actual life? How will the truth be realized? What experiences will be different from those which would obtain if the belief were false? What, in short, is the truth's cash-value in experiential terms?” - William James

“You have to choose which future regret you're going to have.” - Christopher Hitchens

Dangerous Assumptions

"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge" - Charles Darwin

"One of the painful things about our time is that those who feel certainty are stupid, and those with any imagination and understanding are filled with doubt and indecision." - Bertrand Russell

Right or Happy?Assumptions are:

Everywhere

Invisible

Powerful