Check out this Freakonomics podcast from 5 March 2015. Every year, edge.org, a community of scientists, writers, and other thinkers, gets together to talk about a scientific idea that is no longer useful, even though it’s still popular. In many ways, these ideas can be a real impediment to scientific progress. Take notes on the ideas and the proof they use to support their ideas. Which are most surprising or interesting to you?
Some of these ideas are quite abstract. You may have to listen a few times. If you don’t understand some vocabulary, look at the transcript: http://freakonomics.com/2015/03/05/this-idea-must-die-full-transcript/
Your job is to pick a few ideas to talk about – think of it as a small presentation. For one or two of these ideas and their presenters, say 1) what is the idea and 2) what is their proof, or why do they think it should be retired?
Have fun!
1:18 Sara Jayne Blakemore, Cognitive Science Professor, University College London
9:20 Seth Lloyd, Professor of Quantum Mechanical Engineering, MIT
12:00 Emmanuel Derman, Professor, Columbia University
15:10 Azra Raza, Oncologist and Professor of Medicine, Columbia
19:35 Douglass Rushkoff, Author and Professor of Media Studies, Queens College – Cuny
25:00 Alan Alda, Writer and Actor
31:40 Alun Anderson, Science Writer
34:45 Paul Bloom, Psychology Professor, Yale University
38:10 Sam Arbesmun, Complexity Scientist and Writer
41:05 Michael Norton, Professor, Harvard Business School
44:30 Stephen Levitt, Professor of Economics, University of Chicago
