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Today we talk about the placebo effect, mind over matter, and the cognitive traps that correlate with IQ. David Robson is an author of science with a unique focus on human behavior. He has a degree in mathematics from Oxford -- we bond over our similar degrees in mathematics. He's worked for news scientists, BBC, and he writes for several popular science magazines. Today we discuss the intelligence trap and the expectation effect.

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Timestamps:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:05:55 IQ tests measure what exactly?

00:08:00 Various pitfalls of intelligence (IQ traps)

00:14:09 Rationality is not emotionally comforting

00:16:51 Is “truth” the most valuable pursuit? What is “truth”?

00:19:10 Truth can be terrifying

00:24:14 Curiosity is correlated with high IQ

00:28:53 Breakthroughs are born through curiosity

00:36:13 Contradiction is a healthy part of science

00:39:20 The different styles of science

00:45:36 The placebo effect: how “expectation” can overcome genetics

00:51:35 Applying the placebo and expectation effects

01:05:51 Frustration lies at the heart of learning

01:13:25 Cultivating the qualities of a genius in yourself

01:18:33 What is evidence-based wisdom?

01:23:42 A standardized test for wisdom

01:31:03 The relationship between IQ and RQ (rationality quotient)

01:33:23 Ways to supercharge your rationality

01:35:48 The scientific bias

01:41:56 Parapsychological research

01:47:51 What is “functional stupidity”?

01:52:39 Curt finds holes in every argument

01:57:13 Self deception is easy

02:00:38 When high skill damages performance

02:04:20 The best team is smart and disagreeable

02:10:44 The power of a Yogi

02:18:20 Your perceptions change future reality

02:20:19 Ego depletion and the replication crisis

02:22:23 The pilot sight test

02:27:16 Acquiring creativity, productivity, and Savant-ism

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