“The twin challenges of too much quantity and too little quality are rooted in the finite neurological capacity of the human mind. Scientists are deriving hypotheses from a smaller and smaller fraction of our collective knowledge and consequently, more and more, asking the wrong questions, or asking ones that have already been answered. Also, human creativity seems to depend increasingly on the stochasticity of previous experiences – particular life events that allow a researcher to notice something others do not. Although chance has always been a factor in scientific discovery, it is currently playing a much larger role than it should.”
Tag: 04.24.17
Asking Kids The Big Questions – How They Philosophize
“From ages eight to eleven, kids are natural philosophers—before puberty and those awful inhibitions creep in. All you have to do is trigger the question and let it roll.”
Chi-chi Nwanoku Was Tired Of Being The Only Black Musician In The Orchestra, So She Formed One Of Her Own
The double bass player recruited and organized a group quickly in 2015, and her project has been a success. “The Chineke! Foundation — which includes both Europe’s first professional orchestra made up entirely of minority musicians from across Britain and Europe, and also a junior orchestra — has had a strong impact not only on the musicians involved, but also on the audiences.”
Daniel Mendelsohn’s Father Sits In On His Son’s Class On Homer – And An Adventure Begins
“The students laughed. Then, as if fearful that they’d overstepped some boundary, they peered down the length of the seminar table at me, as if to see how I’d react. Since I wanted to show them I was a good sport, I smiled broadly. But what I was thinking was, This is going to be a nightmare.”