Specialization’s Limit
Specialization of labor––surely this makes the most sense. Hire the most highly qualified people, train them in a particular specialty, and then have them carry out that single specialized task. This has been the conventional wisdom for decades, used in a variety of contexts. There would seem to be no downside to this perfectly rational […]
Perfecting Prediction: A Search for the Right Detail
Part of one’s task is to predict what likely will occur in the future. Not many devote any real effort to improving this “skill.” It’s akin to mindreading––why bother to devote any time to it? There’s no point. Probability theory and statistics––these provide tools of analysis, but not the means of arriving at the values […]
Beyond the Horizon
An argument based on ideas differs from an argument based on people or things. In many instances, an argument based on ideas presupposes a frame of reference within which an evaluation can take place. An argument based upon people or things, however, requires no such assumption. One is asked to look, compare, and to draw […]
The Power Law of Practice
Scientists have studied for quite some time the dynamics of learning. We use the term “learning curve” to refer to the amount of time required to learn new information. Small libraries have been written on various learning techniques and theories. One such theory is known as the “power law of practice.” October. There’s something in […]
Neuroprediction and the Risk of Future Injury
There’s an emerging science known as “Neuroprediction” which uses data derived from brain-imaging studies to predict future outcomes and behavior. The idea is that certain findings on brain scans correlate with certain behavioral or neurologic outcomes. For example, a recent article establishes a link between amygdala hyper-activation and those who later will develop depression. “This […]
