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Cognitive Engineering

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Welcome 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.

Location:

United Kingdom

Description:

Welcome 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.

Language:

English

Contact:

07976223657


Episodes

Neatness

3/27/2024
The observant among us will have noted that 2023 ended on a Sunday. For those who believe Sunday marks the end of the week, this seems like a logical day to end the year. But why do we find these types of phenomena satisfying? Is it slightly obsessive or should we strive for this symmetry in our daily lives? The bigger question might be: is it even possible to produce neatness in our messy world? In this week’s episode, we discuss neatness. We debate which day is the first day of the week, and discuss the universal three-act structure, epicycles, special relativity, Kolmogorov complexity, prime numbers, crosswords, emergent complexity and the metric system. Finally, we share our best and worst attempts to impose neatness on the world around us. A few things we mentioned in this podcast: - Kolmogorov Complexity https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolmogorov_complexity - Sabbath https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabbat - A Mathematician’s Apology: https://archive.org/details/AMathematiciansApology-G.h.Hardy For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email podcast@alephinsights.com

Duration:00:45:15

Moaners

3/13/2024
You would be forgiven for missing it, but late last year Google Maps changed its colour scheme. This caused an outcry across the Twittersphere and social media platforms, with many outraged the change took place without their endorsement or consent. After observing this spectacle unfold we thought that it prompted some thought-provoking ideas - should we just swallow our discontent with technical features to enjoy free services? Do we complain too much in this day and age? Have we forgotten how difficult life was without recent technological advances? In this episode, we discuss moaners. We speak about Google Maps, Google Earth, cartography, complaining, the origins of legal liability, journalism and newspapers, the concept of gratitude and a crisis in open-source software. Finally, we share some of our favourite maps. - Is Gratitude a Moral Affect? https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230896629_Is_Gratitude_a_Moral_Affect#:~:text=Gratitude%20is%20conceptualized%20as%20a,such%20as%20empathy%20and%20guilt - First World Problems https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_World_problem - Map of Southern Sommerlund from Lone Wolf https://shop-magnamund.com/cdn/shop/products/Screenshot2022-03-23at19.33.11.jpg?v=1668683483 For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email podcast@alephinsights.com

Duration:00:34:40

Populist Hair

2/28/2024
What do Trump, Johnson, Wilders and Milei all have in common? No, it’s not politics, it’s an eccentric and recognisable coiffure. Do these examples allow us to draw a theory between politics and hair or is it just a happy coincidence? If there is a connection, why might it exist? In this week’s episode, we discuss populist hairstyles. We talk about the relationship between populism and hairstyles, data on hair and physical condition, the connection between shoes and personalities, signalling, Donald Trump’s hair, and Jordan presents a typology for populism. Finally, we share the people from history we most admire who have a distinctive hairstyle. A few things we mentioned in this podcast: - The Guardian: ‘Populism is all about hair’ https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2023/dec/03/populism-is-all-about-hair-what-rightwing-leaders-are-trying-to-tell-us-with-their-wild-coiffures - Hair Analysis in Health Assessment https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0009898113000405 -Cue masking and cultural signals https://research.vu.nl/ws/portalfiles/portal/121656045/Cue_masking_and_cultural_signals_Testing_contextspecific_preferences_for_balding_leaders.pdf - Politico: ‘Boris Johnson’s hair shows he’s too posh to fail’ https://www.politico.eu/article/how-boris-johnsons-hair-defined-britain/ For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email podcast@alephinsights.com

Duration:00:39:29

Baddies

2/15/2024
When we think of good and evil the picture appears obvious. The side of good is attractive, righteous and persuasive while the bad side is ugly, flawed and fallible. But does the way we intuitively expect good and evil to work line up with how it is portrayed in popular fiction and the arts? Are literature and film teaching us that might is right or is something else at play? In this week’s episode, we discuss baddies with special guest Jamie Lear. We speak about Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Thomas Midgley, consequentialism and deontological philosophy, Rousseau and Hobbes and Nick presents a taxonomy for good and evil. Finally, we reveal our favourite fictional baddies. A few things we mentioned in this podcast: - Hobbes vs Rousseau: are we inherently evil? https://iai.tv/articles/hobbes-vs-rousseau-are-we-inherently-evil-or-good-auid-1221 - TV Tropes: Always Chaotic Evil https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AlwaysChaoticEvil - How do Orcs breed? https://www.vintageisthenewold.com/game-pedia/how-do-orcs-breed For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email podcast@alephinsights.com Image by jasonwang7 via Deviant Art

Duration:00:46:10

Change vs Rest

2/7/2024
When we go on holiday or experience an interruption to our daily lives, we are often reminded that a change can be as good as a rest. But is doing something different actually better than doing nothing? If true, what kind of implications would this have for our society? In this week’s episode, we discuss change vs rest. We discuss the origins of the proverb, models of fatigue, data on industrial productivity, psychology of rest, and ego depletion. Finally, we share the best and most recent change we’ve experienced. For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email podcast@alephinsights.com

Duration:00:32:02

Figment of the Imagination

1/31/2024
People who spread lies and deceive others are treated with contempt by society, and rightfully so. But what happens when the people we lie to and deceive are ourselves? Using the case of Walter Mitties as a starting point, we explore the prevalence of exaggeration, fantasy and our inner selves. In this week’s episode, we look at figments of the imagination. We discuss Herbie Popnecker, differences between US and UK attitudes to military valorisation, virtue imposters, intention vs self-delusion, cosplay, Aesop’s Fox and the Grapes fable, catfishing, authenticity and status. Finally, we reveal the biggest self-serving exaggerations we committed ourselves A few things we mentioned in this podcast: - The military imposters who can’t resist wearing an unearned medal https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/10/01/military-imposters-unearned-medal-nick-adderley/ - Waltenkommando https://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/Waltenkommando - Alan Mcilwraith https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alan_Mcilwraith&oldid=25222978 For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email podcast@alephinsights.com

Duration:00:40:47

Thinking About Romans

1/25/2024
Some of our listeners may be familiar with the popular Roman Empire meme doing the rounds on TikTok recently. The meme illuminates many nebulous concepts from our collective psychology in a humorous way, but there seems to be one central principal: we are sharing the world with people who often have radically different thoughts to our own. So, what does it mean to think about the Roman Empire? Why does it appear to be gendered? What does it mean to think about something in the first place? In this week’s episode, we discuss thinking about the Romans. We speak about gender disparities in thoughts and interests, thought as a philosophical concept, thought modelling, computational thinking, narrative and storytelling, data scarcity, AI and Peter shares his wishlist of thought-enhancing technologies. A few things we mentioned in this podcast: - How Often Do You Think About the Roman Empire? https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/how-often-do-you-think-about-the-roman-empire - How Often Do Women Think About … ? https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/20/arts/roman-empire-women-tiktok.html - Men and things, women and people: a meta-analysis of sex differences in interests https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19883140/ For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email podcast@alephinsights.com

Duration:00:41:00

The Art of the Return

1/17/2024
Political returns are not unusual, but there are varying degrees of success. With the recent return of David Cameron to politics as Foreign Secretary, we started to think about how to stage a triumphal return. Are there predictable pitfalls that must be avoided? How do you know the time is right? Why are we so intrigued by the idea of a return in the first place? In this week’s podcast, we discuss the art of the return. We discuss the return of David Cameron, the history of political returns, the theme of returns and homecomings in literature, Lord of the Rings, Homer’s Odyssey, prisoner’s dilemma and Nick presents typologies for different categories of return. Finally, we share examples of our own returns and future returns we would like to see happen. A few things we mentioned in this podcast: - David Cameron returns to cabinet table after seven years https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-67411550 - British Prime Ministers who returned to government https://www.gov.uk/government/news/british-prime-ministers-who-returned-to-government - TV Tropes: One Last Job https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OneLastJob For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email podcast@alephinsights.com

Duration:00:32:39

Reputation

1/10/2024
What springs to mind when you think of McDonalds, Apple or BT? When it comes to the reputation of companies, first impressions seem to matter. But how does a reputation work? Is a negative reputation stickier than a positive one? and how long does reputation last? In this week’s podcast, we discuss reputation. We unpick company and football statistics and data for listed companies. We also discuss the relationship between reputation and quality, Apple vs Microsoft, the scale vs quality trade-off, the concept of reputation in the judicial system and OBEs. Finally, we present what we consider to be some of the most glaring mismatches between reputation and quality. For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email podcast@alephinsights.com

Duration:00:47:50

Grey Rhinos

1/3/2024
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 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2020.00347/full - The Animals in the Jungle of Risk https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/animals-jungle-risk-aminath-shaeera-cpa-irmcert/ For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email podcast@alephinsights.com

Duration:00:45:51

Stick Vs Carrot

12/14/2023
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 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-67139220 - Carrot and Stick https://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-car4.htm - Blame https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/blame/ For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email podcast@alephinsights.com

Duration:00:39:24

Models

11/15/2023
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 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0277927 - On Exactitude in Science https://kwarc.info/teaching/TDM/Borges.pdf - Spinal Tap - Stonehenge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAXzzHM8zLw - Bourton-on-the-Water model village https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bourton-on-the-Water_model_village - Mary Poppins: Let’s Go Fly a Kite https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyhJhf6Q7lg For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email podcast@alephinsights.com

Duration:00:36:36

Criticism

11/8/2023
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? https://interlude.hk/upset-by-einaudi/ - Twilight vampires? Bah! Fangs ain't what they used to be… https://www.theguardian.com/global/booksblog/2009/jan/08/twilight-vampire - The Premium Mediocre Life of Maya Millennial https://www.ribbonfarm.com/2017/08/17/the-premium-mediocre-life-of-maya-millennial/ - Unpopular Opinions https://xkcd.com/2184/ - Geeks, MOPs, and sociopaths in subculture evolution https://meaningness.com/geeks-mops-sociopaths For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email podcast@alephinsights.com Image by Jack Vettriano / PA Wire via Flickr

Duration:00:35:07

Teleportation

11/1/2023
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 https://www.bnl.gov/newsroom/news.php?a=119023 - Teletransportation Paradox https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teletransportation_paradox - To infinity and beyond: Teleporting humans into space https://phys.org/news/2013-07-infinity-teleporting-humans-space.html For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email podcast@alephinsights.com Image: Jason Jacobs via Flickr

Duration:00:44:07

Great Escapes

10/18/2023
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. Image: Terry Fincher via Wikimedia Commons

Duration:00:38:42

Old Vs New

10/11/2023
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 https://lookup.london/walthamstow-ancient-house/ - List of demolished buildings and structures in London https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_demolished_buildings_and_structures_in_London - Buying a new build vs old house: Which is better? https://www.comparemymove.com/advice/new-build-homes/new-build-vs-old-build#:~:text=More%20Expensive%20%E2%80%93%20Although%20new%20builds,could%20affect%20the%20completion%20date For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email podcast@alephinsights.com

Duration:00:37:22

Grudges

10/5/2023
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" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCaTAGNkYQc - Grudge: the emotional side of resentment https://bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journals/emsoc/5/2/article-p139.xml#:~:text=Following%20this%20perspective%2C%20Max%20Scheler,25 For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email podcast@alephinsights.com

Duration:00:40:09

Marketing

9/27/2023
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 podcast@alephinsights.com

Duration:00:43:59

World War Sea

9/13/2023
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 https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jul/19/orcas-boats-human-killer-whales-animal-life#:~:text=In%20the%20past%20few%20years,number%20so%20far%20this%20summer. - All the Biomass of Earth, in One Graphic https://www.visualcapitalist.com/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 podcast@alephinsights.com

Duration:00:41:07

Content

8/9/2023
Nowadays it is almost a cliché to say that content is king. Content seems to have become a ubiquitous catchall term for anything and everything that populates internet web pages. But does the modern usage of content devalue creativity or does it simply draw attention to the vast amount of information stored on the internet? In this week’s episode, we discuss content. We unpack the Web 2.0 movement, legacy vs new media, genetics and large language models. Finally, we share our favourite content containers and pieces of content. A few things we mentioned in this podcast: - “Content is King” — Essay by Bill Gates 1996 https://medium.com/@HeathEvans/content-is-king-essay-by-bill-gates-1996-df74552f80d9 - Understanding the Cost of Packaging https://packmojo.com/blog/understanding-packaging-pricing-economies-of-scale/ - The Drum: 'Content' is a terrible term. Please stop using it. https://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2018/05/08/content-terrible-term-please-stop-using-it - Web 2.0 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0 For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email podcast@alephinsights.com Image: Niall Kennedy via Flicker

Duration:00:31:10