Cognitive Engineering
375 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 months ago - ★★★★ - 7 ratingsWelcome to the Cognitive Engineering podcast. Occasionally coherent musings of Aleph Insights. We hope you like listening to them as much as we like recording them.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
The Country and the City
November 18, 2020 08:08 - 40 minutes - 37.3 MBWhich is better, urban splendour or bucolic majesty? Our guest this week, Mikey Lear, provides a passionate defence of country living in the face of sniping from our very own metropolitan elite. This podcast looks at the data relating to a range of outcomes for urban versus rural populations, considers why people move to the city and tries to methodically measure the relative benefits. It also examines the different characteristics of those living in both environments. A few things we menti...
The Global Terrorism Database
November 10, 2020 00:00 - 38 minutes - 35.2 MBEver wondered how we measure the amount of terrorism? We talk to Jerry Smith from CHC Global, who explains how the Global Terrorism Database has been keeping track of terrorist events all around the world for 50 years. This podcast covers the painstaking process of collecting structured information about terrorism and considers how you standardise the measurement of something so chaotic and destructive. It explores how the Global Terrorism Database goes about collecting information, categori...
The US Electoral System
November 04, 2020 10:09 - 29 minutes - 26.9 MBAs the US is in the throes of a presidential election, we examine why the US electoral system seems so strange and complicated. In this podcast we discuss the origins of the US electoral system, why it seems foreign and the rationale underpinning its complexities. We delve into the difficulties of changing such a system and consider what an idealised electoral system would look like. A few things we mentioned in this podcast: - Effect of the electoral college on narrow elections https://www...
Re-release: Rational Irrationality
October 28, 2020 08:03 - 26 minutes - 24.6 MBCan behaving irrationally ever be a rational thing to do? This week we are re-releasing a podcast based on the works of the late Derek Parfit, a philosopher who specialised in personal identity, rationality, and ethics, and who had just passed away when we recorded the episode in 2017. We focus on dynamic decision problems, specifically how we make or should make decisions that will have an impact over time or have future consequences. In what situations should we take a rational or irration...
Binary Thinking
October 21, 2020 07:59 - 31 minutes - 29.3 MBMany decisions are binary: should we wear a face mask or not? We discuss how this might affect our thinking more broadly and whether it drives polarisation. This podcast investigates binary thinking, looking at why and in what situations we have a tendency to think in absolute terms. We debate the advantages and pitfalls associated with binary thinking, and consider whether some of us are better at handling ambiguity and uncertainty than others. Finally, we discuss ways of managing our own a...
To Err is Human
October 14, 2020 07:19 - 26 minutes - 24.4 MBWe look at the YAM cryptocurrency bug and ask whether in a digital age our capacity to mess up has spiralled out of control. In this podcast we examine software bugs and other types of error, and discuss whether there is any connection between the size of an error and its consequence. We also attempt to classify types of errors and look at how they might be compounded by the complex systems humans have created. Finally, we consider if errors are uniquely human phenomena or whether they can o...
Is there Life on Venus?
October 07, 2020 06:53 - 30 minutes - 28 MBWith the recent discovery of phosphine gas on Venus, we debate whether Dan Dare has now been vindicated. This podcast explores what we can infer from the small amounts of data we receive from space, and whether we have sufficient data to develop meaningful models of what is happening on other planets. We also discuss the way theories and counter-theories develop and - of course - alien life itself and the probability of its existence in different forms. A few things we mentioned in this pod...
A-Level Algorithms
September 30, 2020 06:53 - 31 minutes - 28.7 MBWhat is a fair way to decide an exam result in the absence of being able to sit the exam? In this podcast we discuss the background to the controversial A-Level algorithm debacle. We also touch on the concept of fairness in examinations and consider the essence of what we are trying to measure through an exam. Finally, we look at the application of algorithms to other areas of performance assessment, such as sport. A few things we mentioned in this podcast: - Explanation of the OFQUAL algor...
Good vs Bad Distractions
September 23, 2020 07:22 - 37 minutes - 34.4 MBIs procrastination a total waste of time or can it be productive? If you have something important to do, you should really spend the next 25 minutes listening to us discuss the topic. In this podcast we discuss why we feel the urge to procrastinate, and whether it reduces or increases stress in the long run. We also consider the nature of tasks we like to avoid and what the potential benefits of time wasting activities might be. A few things we mentioned in this podcast: - Wait But Why? on ...
Lost and (not) Found
September 16, 2020 07:13 - 29 minutes - 27.3 MBWhat does it mean when we lose something and why are some of us better at finding things than others? We define the concept of losing something and discuss different heuristics, strategies and technologies that have developed to help us find things. We also mention the psychological impact of losing something, how much time we spend looking for stuff and consider why some people may be better predisposed to locate misplaced objects. A few things we mentioned in this podcast: - Humans are su...
Declining Fertility
September 09, 2020 07:12 - 28 minutes - 26.4 MBRecent research suggests there will be a significant reduction in the birth rate over the course of the next century. What would this mean if it were true? In this podcast we discuss the accuracy of population forecasts, the assumptions they are based on, and the relationship between the number of people and factors such as productivity and societal innovation. We also attempt to predict some of the implications of an aging population with fewer children and ask whether there is an optimal ...
Toast and Marmot
September 02, 2020 07:59 - 30 minutes - 28.1 MBWith a case of the bubonic plague being contracted in Mongolia after consumption of a wild marmot, we consider whether disgust at certain foodstuffs serves a protective purpose. We all experience disgust, but do we really think about it? In our latest podcast, we list some of the more disgusting foods we've come across while discussing why we find somethings more repugnant than others. A few things we mentioned in this podcast: - Boy eats marmot, dies https://edition.cnn.com/2020/07/15/asia...
Don’t Buy the Album
August 27, 2020 09:00 - 33 minutes - 31.1 MBIn the age of music streaming, does the idea of an album make sense any more? In this podcast we discuss the conceptual origins of the album and talk about the implications of its evolution from vinyl, to tape and CD, and finally to the cloud. We also touch on the artistic purpose of an album, and whether this has been destroyed or merely altered by the move to digital streaming. Fundamentally, we question the purpose of an album and whether it still has meaning. A few things we mentioned i...
Dispensing Wisdom
August 19, 2020 07:38 - 32 minutes - 29.8 MB“Advice is a dangerous gift, even from the wise to the wise” - so definitely don’t listen to us, as we discuss what to do with others’ wisdom. In this podcast we explore the value of intergenerational advice, whether age equates to wisdom and what makes someone receptive to advice, regardless of its quality. We also address the areas in which people seek advice and how this has altered over time. A few things we mentioned in this podcast: - Biggest life mistakes https://kathycaprino.com/20...
Storm in a Teacup
August 12, 2020 06:03 - 30 minutes - 28.6 MBAn American makes tea badly and suddenly the British are up in arms. What does the way you make tea tell someone about you? This podcast addresses the information we obtain from little shibboleths such as making tea, and discusses whether it is accurate, valid and useful. Does it merely foster class and cultural exclusion, or do these ceremonies and their preservation still serve a valuable social purpose? A few things we mentioned in this podcast: - Michelle on TikTok explains how to mak...
High Anxiety
August 05, 2020 07:35 - 27 minutes - 25.3 MBWith our current pandemic related concerns, we seem to have forgotten about other scary things, like terrorism or environmental catastrophe. Should we be concerned by our lack of worry? We discuss whether we worry about the right things, whether we are worrying less than we used to and whether worry can even be accurately measured. What is the right amount to worry and what is the purpose of worrying? Does it serve a rational function? Things mentioned in this podcast: - Personal well-bein...
The Worst Year Ever?
July 29, 2020 08:00 - 34 minutes - 31.8 MBHow bad or good is 2020 by historical comparison? Should we stop moaning and just be glad we weren’t living through 536 AD or 541 AD? We mull over how to go about determining the overall amount of suffering in a given year and what constitutes the worst year ever. How should it be measured? Is the size of the human race at the time relevant? And are we predisposed to recency bias, where terrible events in the past are largely ignored? A few things we mentioned in this podcast: - Is 2020 th...
One-hit Wonders
July 22, 2020 07:30 - 31 minutes - 29 MBIs it better to live one day as the comic singer of a novelty number one, than 100 years as a respected indie band with a cult following? Nick, Chris and Fraser discuss what constitutes a one-hit wonder, how it applies to other art forms and areas of human endeavour, and whether we should aim for sustained mediocrity or concentrated brilliance. A few things we mentioned in this podcast: - UK one-hit wonders https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_one-hit_wonders_on_the_UK_Singles_Chart - ‘O...
Pre-Digital Relics
July 15, 2020 08:09 - 26 minutes - 24.1 MBDo pre-digital relics have a purpose in our technology-driven world? How have digital technologies changed our world and what pre-digital relics are worth hanging on to. And for the sake of nostalgia, here are some things that we grew up with that are unknown today because of the evolution of digital technology: writing a letter, calling someone on the phone for a chat, reading the papers, looking stuff up in reference books, reading maps, surprise visits, being uncontactable, remembering th...
Individual vs Group Decisions
July 08, 2020 09:06 - 31 minutes - 28.9 MBIs there wisdom in crowds and is group decision-making effective? Fraser, Nick and Peter reach a swift and conclusive judgement. Image: by Tia Dufour via the Whitehouse https://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/48937685671 Things mentioned in this podcast: - How group dynamics affect decisions https://news.stanford.edu/features/2015/decisions/group-dynamics.html - ‘Officially official’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85fx0LrSMsE - Group decision-making https://opentextbc.ca/socialpsycholog...
Should we Listen to Celebrities?
July 01, 2020 08:56 - 33 minutes - 30.3 MBDoes fame and an ability to pretend to be someone else qualify you to be an expert on other matters? Image: Kurt Kulac via Wikimedia Commons Things mentioned in this podcast: - Hugh Grant’s views on the government’s reaction to COVID-19 https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/hugh-grant-this-morning-matt-hancock-coronavirus-lockdown-phillip-schofield-twitter-a9511531.html - Cognitive skills and their transfer: https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/2698...
Rewriting History
June 24, 2020 07:44 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBAccording to the adage, you can’t change the past, but can you or should you change the record of the past? Things mentioned in this podcast: - Dominic Cummings changed his blog https://fullfact.org/health/cummings-blog-coronavirus/ - Historical Negationism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_negationism - Our World in Data, ‘Books’ https://ourworldindata.org/books - List of pages removed from Google’s search results: https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/internet/entries/1d765aa8-600b-4f32-b1...
Dust
June 18, 2020 15:16 - 27 minutes - 25.6 MBIt gets everywhere - but what is it and where does it come from? Image: by Pattadis Walarput via Pixabay. Things mentioned in this podcast: - Where does all this dust come from? https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028114023.htm - Sand crisis https://www.businessinsider.com/world-running-out-sand-resources-concrete-2018-6?r=US&IR=T - Space dust https://www.universetoday.com/94392/getting-a-handle-on-how-much-cosmic-dust-hits-earth/ Find more Cognitive Engineering episodes he...
Technologies That Never Quite Catch On
June 12, 2020 09:35 - 33 minutes - 30.9 MBWhy is that some technologies are perennially about to transform our lives, but never really take off. Do they have something in common? Image: Antonio Zugaldia via Wikicommons. Things mentioned in this podcast: - When corporate innovation goes bad https://www.cbinsights.com/research/corporate-innovation-product-fails/ - The Death of the E-Reader https://justpublishingadvice.com/the-e-reader-device-is-dying-a-rapid-death/ Find more Cognitive Engineering episodes here https://link.chtbl.c...
Mistrust
June 05, 2020 13:12 - 29 minutes - 27 MBShould we be suspicious of successful people? Is high performance related to dishonesty? Image: justlego1O1 via Flickr Things mentioned in this podcast: - My Mother Thinks Bill Gates is Trying to Kill Us All https://medium.com/honestly-yours/my-mother-thinks-bill-gates-is-trying-to-kill-us-all-bfd47e483e9a - ‘Corrupt Corporate Executive’ on TV Tropes https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CorruptCorporateExecutive - ‘Snakes in Suits’ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakes_in_Suits - O...
Mob mentality
May 29, 2020 12:53 - 26 minutes - 24.1 MBIs there a wisdom in crowds, or are we all heading over the cliff like lemmings? Image: Sérgio Valle Duarte via Wikicommons Things mentioned in this podcast: - The Great Battle of Fire and Light, Wait But Why https://waitbutwhy.com/2019/08/fire-light.html - ‘Sourdough’, xkcd https://m.xkcd.com/2296/ - Mass panics of 2016 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/aug/29/panic-at-los-angeles-airport-lax-after-noise-mistaken-for-gunfire - Measuring the collective unconscious http://people.tamu...
Power shifts
May 22, 2020 22:13 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MBDoes the way different nations have responded to the Covid-19 pandemic tell us anything about the international balance of power? Image: priyampatel4 via pixabay Things mentioned in this podcast: - Correlates of War dataset https://correlatesofwar.org/data-sets/national-material-capabilities - Thomas Cole, the Course of Empire https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Course_of_Empire_(paintings) - Harari on the cycle of empire https://erenow.net/common/sapiensbriefhistory/55.php Find more Cogni...
Cultures of Debate
May 15, 2020 13:51 - 23 minutes - 21.8 MBHeated argument or reasoned discussion? Is there an optimal way to frame debate? Image: UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor Things mentioned in this podcast: - Agreeableness and outcomes https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3845351/ - Marital conflict behaviours https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3777640/ - Relational models theory https://www.iep.utm.edu/r-models/ - Is it bad to bottle up anger? https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20140729-is-it-bad-to-bottle-up-anger - The b...
What makes a good excuse?
May 08, 2020 14:02 - 28 minutes - 26.4 MBExplaining the situation or avoiding your responsibilities - are excuses valid and is there an art to them? Image: Kārlis Dambrāns via Wikicommons Things mentioned in this podcast: - ‘Sorry about the speeding, I was having sex’ https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/11143817/businessman-fled-police-rolls-royce/ - Dr Paulina Sliwa on the philosophy of excuses https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/what-makes-a-good-excuse-a-cambridge-philosopher-may-have-the-answer Find more Cognitive Engineering epi...
Apocalypse Yet?
May 01, 2020 13:38 - 26 minutes - 24.7 MBHow would we know if the world was ending? Image: Daniel Case via Wikicommons Things mentioned in this podcast: - Ministerial reassurance over food supplies? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51775980 - A Journey to the End of Time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD4izuDMUQA - Fifteen Signs before Doomsday https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifteen_Signs_before_Doomsday - Timelapse of the future https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD4izuDMUQA&feature=emb_logo For more Cognitive Engineering episodes ...
Good things coming from bad things
April 24, 2020 14:07 - 29 minutes - 26.9 MBAre there any positives to emerge from the global pandemic? How can we make the most of a bad situation? Image: jamiemusialek via pixabay Things mentioned in this podcast: - The upside of Tube strikes: http://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/cp455.pdf For more Cognitive Engineering episodes find us on iTunes, Google Play or wherever you get your podcasts, or add this RSS feed to your preferred player https://link.chtbl.com/SQeIgc44
The Best Thing since Junction-Field Effect Transistors
April 17, 2020 13:39 - 26 minutes - 24 MBPenicillin, the printing press, and cheese and onion crisps - What makes an invention well known rather than merely successful? Image: anaterate via Pixabay Things mentioned in this podcast: - ‘TRIZ’ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRIZ - BBC poll on the ‘best invention’ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4513929.stm - Top inventions of the last 25 years https://www.productfocus.com/top-25-inventions-of-the-last-25-years/ - ‘The most important inventor you’ve never heard of’ https://blo...
Health Data
April 10, 2020 13:11 - 38 minutes - 35.7 MBFraser, Nick and Peter discuss health data and measuring medical outcomes with special guest Neil Bacon. Image: IWM via Wikicommons Things mentioned in this podcast: - Neil Bacon’s web page https://neilbacon.wordpress.com/ - Doctor’s Net UK https://www.doctors.net.uk/ - iWantGreatCare https://www.iwantgreatcare.org/ - Asthma facts and statistics https://www.asthma.org.uk/about/media/facts-and-statistics/ - Sir Muir Gray https://www.phc.ox.ac.uk/team/muir-gray - AI 'outperforms' doctors di...
Fame. What’s the point?
April 03, 2020 16:31 - 35 minutes - 32.6 MBHere lies Matt Goss: look on his works, ye mighty, and despair. Image: Christian Lanegger via Flickr Things mentioned in this podcast: - Tim Ferris - reasons to not become famous https://tim.blog/2020/02/02/reasons-to-not-become-famous/ - ‘One in four millennials would quit their job to become famous’ https://www.forbes.com/sites/jmaureenhenderson/2017/01/24/one-in-four-millennials-would-quit-their-job-to-be-famous/#404883e52c43 - What percentage of people are famous? https://www.theatlan...
Old Squares
March 27, 2020 12:48 - 23 minutes - 21.5 MBDoes experience make us wiser or simply more boring? Three middle aged men will tackle the question with a total lack of bias. Image: Republican Party via Wikicommons Things mentioned in this podcast: - ‘Young people tend to be more liberal than older people.’ https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3501174 - The politics of ageing https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/out-the-darkness/201806/the-politics-ageing - The origin of ‘that’ quote https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014...
Moderation v Excess
March 20, 2020 16:25 - 25 minutes - 23 MBSmall doses, or all or nothing - what is the best way to live life? Image: Moine buvant du vin dans une cave. Artist: Unknown via Wikicommons Things mentioned in this podcast: - ‘Moderation is the Key to Life’ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/201707/moderation-is-the-key-life - Bill Hicks, ‘Smoking’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOdXA5GrGhs - Personality traits of binge drinkers https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00134/full - Personality types and happin...
What are Extremism and Terrorism?
March 13, 2020 09:39 - 31 minutes - 29.2 MBWas it useful to label Extinction Rebellion as a terrorist organisation? How is terrorism different from extremism? Image: Extinction Rebellion via Wikicommons Things mentioned in this podcast: - Extinction Rebellion are included in a list of extremist groups https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jan/13/priti-patel-defends-inclusion-of-extinction-rebellion-on-terror-list - Global Terrorism Database https://www.start.umd.edu/research-projects/global-terrorism-database-gtd - Proscribe...
Psychological Resilience
March 06, 2020 11:27 - 39 minutes - 36.7 MBWe ask whether mental toughness is all in the mind. Image: Mark Jones via Wikicommons Things mentioned in this podcast: - Harry and Meghan’s statement https://sussexroyal.com/about/ - Susie Ballentyne’s research page at the University of Sussex http://www.sussex.ac.uk/profiles/476810 For more Cognitive Engineering episodes find us on iTunes, Google Play or wherever you get your podcasts, or add this RSS feed to your preferred player https://link.chtbl.com/SQeIgc44
Knives are dangerous, so why do we use them?
February 28, 2020 17:14 - 23 minutes - 21.5 MBEdged tools have been used by hominids for millions of years, but the elastoplast was only invented just over 100 years ago. Did we get our priorities right? Image: DMC-FZ18 via Pixhere Things mentioned in this podcast: - Sudesh Amman attack https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51389884 - Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and the discontinuation of the dataset https://www.rospa.com/Resources/Statistics - CPSC’s injury statistics https://www.cpsc.gov/Research--Statistics/Injury-Stati...
Charity
February 21, 2020 14:13 - 26 minutes - 24 MBEmotion, recency and virtue signalling - does it matter what drives charitable behaviour? Image: Cimon and Pero: "Roman Charity" by Jean-Baptiste Greuze via Wikicommons Things mentioned in this podcast: - Amelia Roberts’ charity appeal https://news.sky.com/story/charity-donations-pour-in-after-woman-finds-order-of-service-in-desk-11911407 - Givewell’s top charities https://www.givewell.org/charities/top-charities - Forbes’ list of charities with the highest overheads https://www.forbes.co...
Does revenge work and how do you de-escalate?
February 15, 2020 07:55 - 28 minutes - 26 MBA dish best served cold, or not at all? We discuss revenge as a strategy. Image: Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Things mentioned in this podcast: - The ProRevenge subreddit https://www.reddit.com/r/ProRevenge/ - William Miller, In Defense of Revenge https://repository.law.umich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1130&context=book_chapters - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Retributive Justice https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/justice-retributive/ - Richard Nisbett, Culture of Honor ht...
Death Of Serendipity
January 19, 2020 20:53 - 26 minutes - 24.4 MBDoes our always on, instantly connected world mean that we’ve lost the job of serendipity? Can we engineer our environment to maximise the chance of good things happening to us? Image: The Three Princes of Serendip Things mentioned in this podcast: - Red Dwarf - ‘Future Echoes’ https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x41k0sb - Doing the same thing twice is more fun than you think https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2019/04/rereading-books-rewatching-movies-decisions/587416/ - The Secreta...
Does inequality actually matter?
January 10, 2020 14:09 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBDoes inequality actually matter? If it does, why? What problems does it cause? Is it self fulfilling? Is our objection to it a moral one, or is there there rational economic issues with it? Image: Wellcome Collection ref ICV No 12015 V0011749 Things mentioned in this podcast: - Is there really more inequality? https://www.economist.com/briefing/2019/11/28/economists-are-rethinking-the-numbers-on-inequality - Political freedom and inequality https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7099/5/2/18/pdf - Is i...
Cats vs Dogs - Which is better?
January 05, 2020 12:42 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBAre you a cat or a dog person? Which is best? Image: nguyen hoangnam via Flickr Things mentioned in this podcast: - Moral Foundations Theory https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_foundations_theory - PDSA Animal Wellbeing Report https://www.pdsa.org.uk/get-involved/our-campaigns/pdsa-animal-wellbeing-report - Who’s Smarter: Cats or Dogs? Psychology Today - https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/valley-girl-brain/201812/who-s-smarter-cats-or-dogs - Cats are just as loyal as dogs https://www.i...
In the Torrid Midsummer
December 21, 2019 11:59 - 26 minutes - 24 MBWhat’s it like to celebrate Christmas in the southern hemisphere? Are there things about Christmas that don’t make sense in summer? Image: Milz via pixels.com Things mentioned in this podcast: - Was Jesus born on 25 December? https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/when-was-jesus-born/ - Average monthly temperature of cities https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_by_average_temperature - Things to do in Wichita at Christmas https://www.google.com/search?q=wichita+christmas+ev...
In the Torid Midsummer
December 21, 2019 11:59 - 26 minutes - 24 MBWhat’s it like to celebrate Christmas in the southern hemisphere? Are there things about christmas that don’t make sense in summer? Image: Milz via pixels.com Things mentioned in this podcast: - Was Jesus born on 25 December? https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/when-was-jesus-born/ - Average monthly temperature of cities https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_by_average_temperature - Things to do in Wichita at Christmas https://www.google.com/search?q=wichita+christmas+ev...
Southern Comfort
December 21, 2019 11:59 - 26 minutes - 24 MBWhat’s it like to celebrate Christmas in the southern hemisphere? Are there things about Christmas that don’t make sense in summer? Image: Milz via pixels.com Things mentioned in this podcast: - Was Jesus born on 25 December? https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/when-was-jesus-born/ - Average monthly temperature of cities https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_by_average_temperature - Things to do in Wichita at Christmas https://www.google.com/search?q=wichita+christmas+ev...
Out Of Touch
December 16, 2019 09:43 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MBWhat does it mean to be out of touch? Why do we expect our leaders to be in tune with everyday people and their concerns? Image: Ewan Munro via Wikimedia.org Things mentioned in this podcast: - Influence of class on attitudes https://www.bsa.natcen.ac.uk/media/38459/bsa30_social_class_final.pdf - Effect of poverty on decision-making http://www.lse.ac.uk/business-and-consultancy/consulting/assets/documents/how-poverty-affects-peoples-decision-making-processes.pdf - Principle Skinner AmI Ou...
Boo to a Goose
December 06, 2019 14:09 - 25 minutes - 23.5 MBIs it wrong to do amoral things in computer games? Is it ok to bully people as a goose in Untitled Goose Game? Image: House House Things mentioned in this podcast: - Untitled Goose Game https://goose.game/ - Ethics in the Virtual World by Garry Young https://philpapers.org/rec/YOUEIT-2 For more Cognitive Engineering episodes find us on iTunes, Google Play or wherever you get your podcasts, or add this RSS feed to your preferred player: feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:219479129/...
Different Animals Different Languages
November 29, 2019 10:56 - 28 minutes - 26.4 MBWhy do animal sounds vary between languages? Image: Alex Andrews via Pexels.com Things mentioned in this podcast: - Onomatopoeia in different languages https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-linguistic_onomatopoeias - Idiophones https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiophone - Disentangling canid howls across multiple species and subspecies: Structure in a complex communication channel https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/wolf-species-have-howling-dialects - Ylvis - What Does The Fox Say? https://www...