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Approximate Thinking Culture Innovation Knowledge Production Research Science Systems Technology Trends Wisdom

Guns, Germs, and Steel : A (clearer) perspective on Diffusion (of Innovation) & Progress

The ‘broadest pattern in history’ is a pattern of diffusion of innovation (cultural and technological innovation). The outcomes of the flow of innovation in culture, political and economic organization, and technology, are what caused – eventually – a giant rift between the ‘old world’ and the new one, and between different political entities.

A discussion based on the book by J. Diamond (Link below).

Jared Diamond : The Author of Guns Germs and Steel
Jared Diamond : The Author of Guns Germs and Steel
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Approximate Thinking Approximation Education Fuzzy Thinking Incompleteness Innovation Knowledge Learning Measurement Research Science Systems Thinking

On Reduction and Approximations : University Rankings and Measuring Education

Ranking universities and higher education institutions is (??) helpful in some respects. It might make it easier for (the perplexed) youth entering into higher education to choose… Moreover, A competitive environment, promoted by university rankings, encourages creativity, innovation, and effort.

Nothing simplified, however, comes for free… “University Rankings” are an extreme Approximation (reduction), and those are dangerous.

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Approximation Consumer Behavior Creativity Knowledge Measurement Research Science

The Still Head of the Staring Psychopath: On Click-y Headlines, Bad Science, and Approximations

I got a notification with a link to an article, and I was naturally inclined to check it out: https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/psychopathic-stare

How couldn’t I?

Breaking and important news… The headline itself is amazing :

Psychopaths don’t move their heads when talking

A new study found that people who scored high in certain psychopathic traits are more likely to limit head movements.

A ‘Psychopath’ staring (?) without moving his head
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Art Books Creativity Cultural and Creative Industries Cultural Products Culture Production

“Origin” – Dan Brown’s (OK) novel as a model for evolving cultural products (and their markets)

“A vacation is an expensive way to read a book in peace”

– @naval

One of my summer reads this year was Dan Brown’s novel “Origin”, the fifth book in the (Robert) Langdon series. It has been sitting in the reading waiting list for a while,  and it was pushed down the pipeline by other books in the last couple of years..