However much you want to think critically, to believe things for the best reasons, to consider all the facts, to avoid being fooled by statistics or by too much information or confirmation bias, how can you be sure your thinking is as good as it can be? What if you truly think you’re persuaded by the arguments but actually you’re being swayed unconsciously by what you want to believe?
The answer is to pretend you’re someone else. Someone who holds a different, opposing view from your own. Go on, have a good argument. Pick holes in your idea or belief, find the loopholes, highlight the weak points. Imagine your own views are held by someone you dislike and you’d hate to agree with them so go on, take them apart, ...