Matt Ridley || How Innovation Works
The Psychology Podcast
iHeartPodcasts
4.4 • 2K Ratings
🗓️ 10 December 2020
⏱️ 48 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Today we have Matt Ridley on the podcast. Matt is the author of the recently-released How Innovation Works, as well as The Rational Optimist and several other books related to science and human progress, which have sold over a million copies. He is also a biologist, newspaper columnist, and member of the House of Lords in the United Kingdom.
Topics
[01:37] What it means to be a rational optimist
[03:39] Evidence that the world is heading in the right direction
[05:43] Giving evidence-based hope
[11:23] Understanding the probabilities of life
[12:42] "It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble; it’s what you think you know that ain’t so"
[14:23] Why nuance is an endangered species
[16:28] The reward value to truthful or insightful information
[18:16] How not everybody is wired to create
[20:08] Working with restricted samples
[23:03] Does the lone genius really exist?
[26:43] Working with naturally occurring samples versus working with restricted samples
[32:10] Why stories don’t necessarily mean generalizable truths about innovation
[34:05] The need to look out for unexpected results
[35:00] Separating the person from the process
[36:02] The phenomenon of simultaneous inventions
[42:28] Why innovation requires freedom
[44:38] Why innovators crave the safe space to fail
[45:08] The government’s role in innovation
[49:47] Biology as the science of exceptions and not rules
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the psychology podcast where we give you insights into the mind, brain, behavior, and creativity. |
| 0:13.0 | I'm Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman, |
| 0:15.0 | and in each episode I have a conversation with a guest |
| 0:18.0 | who will stimulate your mind and give you a greater understanding |
| 0:20.0 | of yourself, others, and the world we live in. |
| 0:23.0 | Hopefully we'll also provide a glimpse into human possibility. |
| 0:27.0 | Thanks for listening and enjoy the podcast. Hi all I have a few announcements I'd like to make before we dive into today's episode. |
| 0:38.0 | First I wanted to let you know that if you'd prefer an ad-free experience and would also like early access to new episodes you can |
| 0:45.0 | join us at patreon.com slash psych podcast that's patreon.com slash psych |
| 0:51.6 | podcast for a completely ad-free experience. on I wanted to let you know that my transcend course is coming back in February. |
| 1:04.3 | Yay! |
| 1:05.7 | The next iteration of the course will offer even more ways to help you live more fulfilling, |
| 1:10.2 | meaningful, creative, and self-actualized life. |
| 1:13.0 | There will only be 150 limited slots available though, so you're going to want to save |
| 1:16.7 | your spot as soon as possible and also catch the Early Bird Special. |
| 1:21.3 | So you can go to Transcend Course.com to sign up. That's Transcend Course. |
| 1:27.0 | Okay now let's dive into today's episode. |
| 1:32.0 | So today we have Matt Ridley on the podcast. |
| 1:34.8 | Matt is the author of the recently released How Innovation Works as well as the |
| 1:39.1 | Rational Optimist and several other books related to science and human |
| 1:42.3 | progress which have sold over a million copies. |
| 1:45.0 | He's also a biologist, newspaper columnist, and member of the House of Lords in the United Kingdom. |
... |
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