Neil DeGrasse Tyson believes one of the great challenges in the world today is knowing enough about a subject to think you’re right, but not enough about the subject to know you’re wrong. In a YouTube ad promoting his MasterClass, he says, “There’s like a gazillion hours of me on the internet, and in almost every case I’m talking about the universe. Black holes, the Big Bang, time travel, God. What I’m going to do in this MasterClass is teach you how to think.” Scroll down for my Neil DeGrasse Tyson MasterClass review.
“The goal here,” Neil continues, charismatic as ever, “is to train your mind how to see the world differently. To question what others say. I’ve come to realize that there are three categories of truth. Personal truth. Political truths. And the objective truths that shape our understanding of the universe. The interesting thing about an objective truth is that it’s true no matter what. Imagine that.”
Neil adds that, by the time he’s done with you, you’ll be equipped with some of the methods and tools to help you turn data into pertinent information; then turn that information into knowledge; knowledge into wisdom. Neil DeGrasse Tyson teaches Scientific Thinking and Communication in this MasterClass. “We all have susceptibility to bias. Search engines on the internet are the epitome of confirmation bias.”
Are you really going to use that as evidence that you are correct, Neil asks. Because you shouldn’t. “The good thing about science is that it’s true whether or not you believe it. What does it mean to be skeptical? What does it mean to be convinced by data? A proper skeptic questions what they’re unsure of, but recognizes when valid evidence is presented to change their mind.”
Truth. Inquiry. Skepticism. Cognitive bias. Scientific literacy. Engaging your audience. All topics Neil will discuss in excruciating detail in his MasterClass. “I will equip you to not only find objective truths, but then communicate to others how to get there,” he says. “It’s not good enough to be right. You also have to be effective. The less connected you are to what is objectively true, the less likely you will be able to make decisions that will benefit your life.”
Not only your life, but your family’s, and everyone around you. Heck, civilization itself. “I’m Neil DeGrasse Tyson and this is my MasterClass,” he says, the Stars Wars-like music hitting a crescendo in the background. And with that, his trailer comes to an end. MasterClass tells you to click the little blue button and Stream Now. When you do it takes you to the sales page. Neil’s MasterClass has thirteen video lessons, most of which are five- to fifteen minutes long.
How much does Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s MasterClass cost? Same as every other MasterClass. It’s an all or nothing deal. You can’t just buy Neil’s course; you have to subscribe to MasterClass as a whole. It’s a hundred and eighty bucks a year. Cancel anytime. Thirty day money-back guarantee. MasterClass has over a hundred classes now, taught by the world’s best in their respective fields. I just wonder if there are too many random classes to make it worthwhile. Personally, I’d just want to watch Neil’s, maybe one or two others, then cancel.
