

Julia Galef often explains common confusions and popular misconceptions of rationality. In 2021, her first book The Scout Mindset: Why Some People See Things Clearly and Others Don't was published by Penguin. The talk was covered by National Public Radio's TED Radio Hour in November 2016.

In February 2016, Galef delivered a TED talk on, "Why you think you're right - even if you're wrong", encouraging critical self-skepticism and prioritizing coming to the correct viewpoint using "scout mindset" instead of working to ensure your current viewpoint is seen as correct with a "soldier mindset". According to Galef, it can be easier to adjust internalized beliefs by framing the new evidence as a surprise. In particular her idea of keeping a "surprise journal" received attention, which is one of the techniques Galef uses to record incidents where her expectations were wrong, in order to recognize personal faulty assumptions that expose and counterweight the " bias blind spot". Subsequent to her exposure with Big Think as an expert on the topic of rationality, she was interviewed in 2014 by Forbes, Fast Company, and The Wall Street Journal. In 2014, she wrote several articles and recorded several short videos for Big Think, some of which are part of the Big Think Mentor's workshops. Galef's activities as a writer, podcaster and president of the Center for Applied Rationality are mentioned by The Atlantic, The Verge, and NPR. Since April 2015 she has been the sole host of the Rationally Speaking podcast. Galef began writing the blog Measure of Doubt in 2011 with her brother, as well as writing for Religion Dispatches and Scientific American. Galef (right) at Het Denkgelag 2015 moderating a conversation between Richard Dawkins and Lawrence Krauss

From 2010 to 2015, she was a speaker for the Northeast Conference on Science and Skepticism. She gives public lectures to organizations including the Center for Inquiry and the Secular Student Alliance. Galef frequently speaks on rationality and moderates debates at skeptic conferences. The show has hosted conversations with public intellectuals such as Neil deGrasse Tyson, Lawrence Krauss, James Randi, and Peter Singer. Their first episode was released on February 1, 2010. In 2009, Galef began co-hosting the Rationally Speaking Podcast with the philosopher of science Massimo Pigliucci. She was elected a fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry in 2015.

The organization also gives workshops to train people to internalize and use strategies based on the principles of rationality on a more regular basis to improve their reasoning and decision-making skills and achieve goals. She co-founded and became president of the nonprofit Center for Applied Rationality in 2012. In 2010 she joined the board of directors of the New York City Skeptics. She received a BA in statistics from Columbia University. Galef was born in 1983 in Maryland into a Jewish family. She hosts Rationally Speaking, the official podcast of New York City Skeptics, which she has done since its inception in 2010, sharing the show with co-host and philosopher Massimo Pigliucci and produced by Benny Pollak until 2015. Julia Galef ( / ˈ ɡ eɪ l ə f/ born J) is an American philosopher of science, writer, speaker and co-founder of the Center for Applied Rationality. Problems playing this file? See media help.
