“The essential insight? Prediction accuracy is possible when people participate in a setup that rewards only accuracy — and not the novelty of the explanation, or loyalty to the party line, or the importance of keeping up your reputation. It is within this condition that the “supers,” the top 2 percent of each group, emerged.”
Tag: 10.05.15
Why We Fall in Love – and Why Frustration Is Necessary for Satisfaction
“To fall in love is to be reminded of a frustration that you didn’t know you had … you wanted someone, you felt deprived of something, and then it seems to be there. … It is as if, oddly, you were waiting for someone but you didn’t know who they were until they arrived. Whether or not you were aware that there was something missing in your life, you will be when you meet the person you want.”
The Pomp – And Mockery – Of Louis XIV’s Propaganda Medals
“Throughout his over 70-year reign, the French king directed a self-portrait campaign in medals – the petite propaganda that spread his image and victories across the continent. However, that didn’t stop his enemies from mocking his grandeur in the same medium.”
For The Arab World, Palmyra Was Just Another Day
The response to ISIS’s destruction of the ancient city in Arabic media was rather muted compared to the horrified reaction in the Western world. Dina Matar explains.
Dancing On Segways (It Had To Happen Eventually)
Okay, in this case they’re using hoverboards (basically Segways without the handlebars), but choreographer David Moore and his five dancers “manage to tackle a solid hip-hop routine by simply shifting their weight around.” (video)
Neuroscience Alone Can’t Explain What Art Is And Why Humans Make It
Alva Noë: “The problem is that neuroscience has yet to frame an adequate conception of our nature. You look in vain in the writings of neuroscientists for satisfying accounts of experience or consciousness. For this reason, I believe, we can’t use neuroscience to explain art and its place in our lives. Indeed, if I am right, the order of explanation may go in the other direction: Art can help us frame a better picture of our human nature.”
20 New Lines From The Epic Of Gilgamesh Discovered In Iraq, Adding New Details To The Story
“One of the oldest narratives in the world got a surprise update last month when the Sulaymaniyah Museum in the Kurdistan region of Iraq announced that it had discovered 20 new lines of the Babylonian-Era poem of gods, mortals, and monsters.”
Duke University Gets $25 Million Donation For New Arts Center
“Duke University is expanding its arts programs with a new building and a $25 million gift from David Rubenstein, chairman of the university’s Board of Trustees and a nationally known arts benefactor.” The 71,000-square-foot arts center “will include a dance studio along with a dozen multi-use studios, a 200-seat performance theater, a 100-seat film theater, a garden, lounge, library, reception space, a painting studio, offices and classrooms.”
Stuff Happens – And The Words We Choose To Talk About It Matter
“Psychologists and linguists have long been interested in the extent to which language affects thought, including whether and how different ways of communicating similar information can influence subsequent thinking. If Bush tells us that ‘stuff happens’ (rather than, say, that ‘people use guns to commit atrocities’), are we less inclined to seek stricter gun control? … The research to date suggests the answer is ‘yes’.”
Female-Driven Movies Are Big Box Office. So What’s The Problem?
Female-driven movies make money. In an era when movies are beset by competition from quality television, video games and alternative entertainment, the industry can’t afford to be biased.