Matt Ridley || How Innovation Works

<p>Today we have Matt Ridley on the podcast. Matt is the author of the recently-released <em>How Innovation Works</em>, as well as <em>The Rational Optimist</em> 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.<br /> <br /> <strong>Topics</strong><br /> [01:37] What it means to be a rational optimist<br /> [03:39] Evidence that the world is heading in the right direction<br /> [05:43] Giving evidence-based hope<br /> [11:23] Understanding the probabilities of life<br /> [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"<br /> [14:23] Why nuance is an endangered species<br /> [16:28] The reward value to truthful or insightful information<br /> [18:16] How not everybody is wired to create<br /> [20:08] Working with restricted samples<br /> [23:03] Does the lone genius really exist?<br /> [26:43] Working with naturally occurring samples versus working with restricted samples<br /> [32:10] Why stories don’t necessarily mean generalizable truths about innovation<br /> [34:05] The need to look out for unexpected results<br /> [35:00] Separating the person from the process<br /> [36:02] The phenomenon of simultaneous inventions<br /> [42:28] Why innovation requires freedom<br /> [44:38] Why innovators crave the safe space to fail<br /> [45:08] The government’s role in innovation<br /> [49:47] Biology as the science of exceptions and not rules</p> <hr /> <p>Support this podcast: <a href="https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/support">https://anchor.fm/the-psychology-podcast/support</a></p>