Cognitive Engineering

Many of our listeners will be familiar with Black Swan events - rare occurrences that have significant, often unforeseen consequences - yet fewer will be aware of Grey Rhinos. Like a large, lumbering rhino charging towards us, these are highly probable threats that we can see coming, but choose to ignore. So how can we communicate risk more accurately? Are there ways to improve our powers of predictability to mitigate the associated risks?

In this week’s podcast, we discuss Grey Rhinos with our special guest Jerry Smith from CHC Global. We discuss the UK inquiry into Covid-19, pandemics, insurance, the psychology of risk, short-termism, probabilistic thinking, black jellyfish events and the climate crisis. Finally, we nominate some of our own Grey Rhino events.

A few things we mentioned in this podcast:

• Healthcare Capacity, Health Expenditure, and Civil Society as Predictors of COVID-19 Case Fatalities: A Global Analysis
• The Animals in the Jungle of Risk

For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email [email protected]

Incentives and punishments are opposite ends of the same spectrum. In their opposing ways, both attempt to steer people towards a prescribed set of goals and behaviours. But which is most effective in getting people to behave better? Or is a society of universally well-behaved individuals simply a utopian fantasy?

In this week’s episode, we discuss the carrot and stick approach. We unpack the carrot and stick metaphor, discuss the concept of zero tolerance, toilet passes in schools, Plutarch, dictatorships, corporal punishment and data on punishments.

A few things we mentioned in this podcast:

• Parents say strict Spilsby school is breaching human rights
• Carrot and Stick
• Blame

For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email [email protected]

Models are widely used in science to represent complex real-world phenomena in simplified forms to advance understanding. Though often overlooked, models can facilitate analysis by reducing scale and complexity and help to visualise things that are difficult to understand. But what makes for a good model and how does an approximation of something tell us more about the thing itself?

In this week’s podcast, we discuss models. We explore the desert kites of Asia and Africa, discuss heuristics, cartography, Borges, AI and machine learning, the historical development of models and examples of models that may surprise you. Finally, we describe some of our favourite model memories.

A few things we mentioned in this podcast:

• The oldest plans to scale of humanmade mega-structures
• On Exactitude in Science
• Spinal Tap - Stonehenge
• Bourton-on-the-Water model village
• Mary Poppins: Let’s Go Fly a Kite

For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email [email protected]

If you’re a fan of JK Rowling, Jack Vettriano or Manchester United you’re probably not surprised by the denigration they receive from critics. There is a whole host of cultural artefacts that seem to be universally popular yet despised by critics. Is it just gatekeeping or do the critics have a point?

In this week’s podcast, we discuss criticism. We speak about the role of the critic, James Wood, Matthew Arnold, Richard Feynman, status-seeking, thrifting, gatekeepers and wargaming. Finally, we share examples of art and media where we are undecided on whether it is good or bad.

A few things we mentioned in this podcast:

• Upset by Einaudi?
• Twilight vampires? Bah! Fangs ain't what they used to be…
• The Premium Mediocre Life of Maya Millennial
• Unpopular Opinions
• Geeks, MOPs, and sociopaths in subculture evolution

For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email [email protected]

What would the world be like if we could instantly teleport to different places and parts of the world in seconds? How might it work and what impact would it have on society? What kinds of questions does it raise about the identity of the teleported entity?

In this week’s episode, we discuss teleportation. We explain how teleportation could theoretically work and discuss matter manipulation, 3D printers, Hisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle, Tsar Bomba, anti-matter, energy requirements, the history of transportation, Derek Parfit’s Teleportation Paradox and on-demand streaming services. Finally, we discuss our most memorably awful travelling experiences.

A few things we mentioned in this podcast:

• Collisions of Light Produce Matter/Antimatter from Pure Energy
• Teletransportation Paradox
• To infinity and beyond: Teleporting humans into space

For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email [email protected]

Have you ever yearned to pull off a grand escape or run away from your current life to start anew? The recent high-profile prison escape by Daniel Khalife got us thinking - how do you disappear in the modern world and is it even possible to do it successfully?

In this week’s episode, we discuss great escapes. We discuss famous disappearances, statistics on missing people and prison escapees in the UK, CCTV cameras, Nick presents a framework for optimising disappearance and we describe our theories for successful evasion of the authorities.

For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email [email protected]

Do you prefer a Georgian terraced house or a new build? Classic cars or a Tesla? We often assume that because something is old it must hold intrinsic value. But is there a downside to valuing the old over the new? How old do things have to get before age becomes a defining feature?

In this week’s episode, we discuss the old and new. We speak about architecture, pubs, psychology, technological progress, house prices, John Betjeman, Chesterton’s fence and Peter presents an idea for an old vs new thought experiment. Finally, we share our favourite old and new things.

A few things we mentioned in this podcast:

• The Ancient House, Walthamstow: London’s oldest house
• List of demolished buildings and structures in London
• Buying a new build vs old house: Which is better?

For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email [email protected]

History is replete with infamous grudges. Invasions launched by Julius Caesar, political rivalry between Gladstone and Disraeli and musical enmities that turn tragic in the case of Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur. But are grudges good or bad? What is the best way to deal with them and why do we have them in the first place?

In this week’s episode, we discuss grudges. We define the key characteristics of a grudge, compare them to feuds and vendettas, explore the notion of a good grudge and touch upon the animal kingdom, first impressions and justice. Finally, we reveal our favourite and longest-held grudges.

• Werner Herzog anecdote about Klaus Kinski's "egomania"
• Grudge: the emotional side of resentment

For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email [email protected]

At a time when marketing has infiltrated our physical and virtual worlds, how should we think about it? Is it just advertising in different clothing or can it reveal deeper insights into our psychology and social interactions?

In this week’s podcast, we discuss marketing with special guest David Folkman, who has had a 20-year career in marketing and entrepreneurialism. We discuss the impact of technology, the psychology of advertisers, advertising models, Tinder, canned water, AI, creativity and the future. Finally, we ask David about his biggest marketing disasters and industry takeaways.

David has a long career working for consumer brands including Mars, Nestle, and Innocent Drinks, and co-founded a number of food and drink businesses including CleanCo and Cheesies. He has also advised numerous companies on sales and marketing strategy. His new website is coming soon and can be found at www.davidfolkman.com

For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email [email protected]

Recent footage of orcas ramming fishing boats has given some pause for concern - has our old friend the sea finally turned against us? If the sea creatures have decided to declare war on us, what would their course of action be? Would they succeed? And how can we best fight back?

In this podcast, join us for a maritime thought experiment where we analyse a hypothetical battle between humans and sea dwellers. We discuss biology, Abyssal and Hadal zones, shipwrecks, amphibians, water deities, global warming, robotic augmentation and shark attacks. Finally, we share our best aquatic experiences.

A few things we mentioned in this podcast:

• The orcas are attacking
• All the Biomass of Earth, in One Graphic

For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email [email protected]