“There’s a reason to life! We can lift ourselves out of ignorance, we can find ourselves as creatures of excellence and intelligence and skill. We can be free! We can learn to fly!”
Richard Bach (Jonathan Livingston Seagull). (via laurachase)
Called “feathered apes” for their simian like smarts, crows use tools, understand physics, and recognize themselves and humans. But new research suggests that the brainy birds may be even smarter than was previously thought. Given a complex problem and an assortment of tools, New Caledonian crows came up with a creative solution that hints at higher-order thinking…
(Source: veganlove)
Childhood obesity linked to poor performances in math
Along with affecting well-being and social skills, a new study reports that the rising obesity epidemic also has an impact on academics.
Hmm, now why oh why might obesity and academic ability be related hmm? Might there be reasons other than those presented in the article? I think so…
“Dylan Evans on the risk intelligence
[Risk intelligence] “it is the ability to estimate probabilities accurately, it’s about having the right amount of certainty to make educated guesses. That’s the simple definition. But this apparently simple skill turns out to be quite complex. It ends up being a rather deep thing about how to work on the basis of limited information and cope with an uncertain world, about knowing yourself and your limitations. (…)
Q: What mistakes do we make in assessing risks?
The need for closure is a really interesting one. If you have a great need for closure, it means you don’t like being in a state of uncertainty - you want an answer, any answer, even if it is the wrong one. On the other extreme, there is this need to avoid closure, where you are constantly seeking more information, so you get stuck in analysis paralysis.
Q: Can we increase our risk quotient?
Absolutely. One way is by being aware of different cognitive biases. Another is to play a personal prediction game. Bet against yourself and estimate probabilities of anything: whether your partner will get home before 6 o’clock, or whether it is going to rain, and keep track of them. Expert gamblers are constantly on the lookout for overconfidence, biases and so on. It is hard work, but it means they know themselves pretty well and they don’t have illusions. They know their weaknesses.” ” Dylan Evans, British academic and author, visiting professor of psychology at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon. He has a PhD in philosophy from the London School of Economics, The man who gave us risk intelligence, New Scientist, 21 May 2012. (via amiquote)
[Risk intelligence] “it is the ability to estimate probabilities accurately, it’s about having the right amount of certainty to make educated guesses. That’s the simple definition. But this apparently simple skill turns out to be quite complex. It ends up being a rather deep thing about how to work on the basis of limited information and cope with an uncertain world, about knowing yourself and your limitations. (…)
Q: What mistakes do we make in assessing risks?
The need for closure is a really interesting one. If you have a great need for closure, it means you don’t like being in a state of uncertainty - you want an answer, any answer, even if it is the wrong one. On the other extreme, there is this need to avoid closure, where you are constantly seeking more information, so you get stuck in analysis paralysis.
Q: Can we increase our risk quotient?
Absolutely. One way is by being aware of different cognitive biases. Another is to play a personal prediction game. Bet against yourself and estimate probabilities of anything: whether your partner will get home before 6 o’clock, or whether it is going to rain, and keep track of them. Expert gamblers are constantly on the lookout for overconfidence, biases and so on. It is hard work, but it means they know themselves pretty well and they don’t have illusions. They know their weaknesses.” ” Dylan Evans, British academic and author, visiting professor of psychology at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon. He has a PhD in philosophy from the London School of Economics, The man who gave us risk intelligence, New Scientist, 21 May 2012. (via amiquote)
“ “On the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much - the wheel, New York, wars and so on - whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man - for precisely the same reasons.” ”
Douglas Adams, English writer and dramatist (1952-2001), The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Pan Books, 1979, Chapter 23 (via amiquote)
