logo
episode-header-image
May 2021
29m 6s

Is dumbness our destiny?

ABC Radio
About this episode
Most of us are healthier, wealthier and better educated than ever before. We have greater access to knowledge and expertise than any previous generation. So, why do humans keep doing stupid things? And why is the world awash with conspiracy? Have we already passed “peak intelligence”? And if so, what can we do to ens ... Show More
Up next
Jul 2022
Emotional Intelligence and the promise of a better workplace
It’s not enough to be smart. If you’re to avoid being automated out of a job in future, you’ll need to develop your Emotional Intelligence. New research suggests more and more companies see an organisational benefit in promoting such skills. But is the rhetoric being backed up wi ... Show More
29m 6s
Jul 2022
Algorithmic audiencing, bioluminescent lighting and the virtues of a circular city
We examine the role algorithms play in limiting free-speech; we hear about the development of bacteria-driven lighting in France; we explore how the shape of our cities can influence weather patterns; and we learn about new research that applies a chemical approach to the simulat ... Show More
29m 6s
Jun 2022
A non-proliferation treaty for fossil fuels
It’s time to attack the “supply side” of fossil fuels, activists argue. And the best way to do that is by establishing a fuel non-proliferation treaty similar to the one used for nuclear weapons. But what would it entail and could it ever work? Also, the sticky relationship betwe ... Show More
29m 6s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2022
Where Did Human Intelligence Come From?
We humans are smart, to be sure, but if we’re so smart then how come we can’t figure how we got so smart in the first place? Think about that! We sure did and we go over some theories in this super interesting episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
46m 8s
Aug 2023
"Why does your brain care more about some people than others?"
Why do we so naturally form ingroups and outgroups? And what does that have to do with evolution, monkeys, Greeks, psychopaths, Syndrome E, and propaganda posters? Join Eagleman to learn why our brains are so wired for tribalism, what the consequences are for the world, and how a ... Show More
38m 16s
Aug 2022
Is humanity smart enough to survive itself? | Jeanette Winterson
With quick wit and sharp insight, writer Jeanette Winterson lays out a vision of the future where human and machine intelligence meld -- forming what she calls “alternative intelligence” -- and takes a philosophical look at our species, asking: Are we smart enough to survive how ... Show More
19m 19s
Feb 2023
What is Intelligence? || The Human Potential Lab
Welcome to The Human Potential Lab! In this special series of The Psychology Podcast, I will be doing solo episodes answering your burning questions about the mind, brain, human behavior, and human potential.In the first episode of this series, I will be tackling a question I’ve ... Show More
47m 8s
Apr 2019
Wisdom
What is happening to us, now that we have access to all the world’s knowledge at our fingertips? If the headlines are to be believed, we are swimming upstream through relentless waves of alternative facts, drowning in an ocean of misinformation. And the internet? It’s the culprit ... Show More
28m 36s
Jan 2023
Ep 185 | Would You Rather Have Intelligence (IQ) or Wisdom?
 How would you explain the difference between intelligence and wisdom? Which brings better life success? The story of Chesley Sullenberger and how he landed his airplane on the Hudson River. Why men are overrepresented in the top and bottom of the IQ bell curve. Can one's IQ be c ... Show More
42m 44s
Jan 2022
Are big-heads smarter?
We live in a world where bigger is often seen as better - and the size of someone's brain is no exception. But a listener in Nairobi wants to know, does size really matter when it comes to grey matter? CrowdScience presenter Marnie Chesterton is on a mission to find out if the ph ... Show More
28m 26s
Sep 2022
Ep 146: Mindless
The crucial differences between AGI and regular AI: minds vs the mindless. Is "competency" at completing tasks what makes a system "intelligent". I explain why that is, in a deep sense, the opposite to what intelligence may be - or at least the kind of intelligence that is intere ... Show More
6m 47s
Dec 2021
Not looking too clever
If someone’s 'not looking too clever', are we doubting their intelligence? 
2m 5s