“What the mediocrity principle tells us is that our state is not the product of intent, that the universe lacks both malice and benevolence, but that everything does follow rules—and that grasping those rules should be the goal of science.” — John Brockman Copy Share Image
“The black expanse over our heads promise places where our industries can use resource extraction, zero-gravity manufacturing, better communications, perhaps even energy harvested in… — John Brockman Copy Share Image
“If the concept that technologies have biases were to become common knowledge, we could implement them consciously and purposefully. If we don’t bring this… — John Brockman Copy Share Image
“Narcissistic leaders. The ultimate weapon of mass destruction is a state. When a state is taken over by a leader with the classic triad… — John Brockman Copy Share Image
“Adolescence is a period of life when the brain is malleable, and it represents a good opportunity for learning and social development. However, according… — John Brockman Copy Share Image
“Happy brains are all alike; every unhappy brain is unhappy in its own way.” — John Brockman Copy Share Image
“But discoveries are what usually egg us on. Not finding anything would be very bad indeed.” — John Brockman Copy Share Image
“But there is another case for curating as a vanguard activity for the twenty-first century. As the artist Tino Sehgal has pointed out, modern… — John Brockman Copy Share Image
“Really tapping into our inner vision and inner child might not make us happier or better adjusted, but it might make us appreciate just… — John Brockman Copy Share Image
“twice as many people in India have access to cell phones as to latrines.” — John Brockman Copy Share Image
“Worry descends upon the worrier like a fever. Without appropriate treatment, that febrile anxiety burns away at the soul. With such treatment, the fever… — John Brockman Copy Share Image
“Kakonomics (from the Greek, the economics of the worst) describes cases wherein people not only have the standard preference for receiving high-quality goods and… — John Brockman Copy Share Image
“Change is the law. Stability and consistency are illusions, temporary in any case, a heroic achievement of human will and persistence at best. When… — John Brockman Copy Share Image
“After several decades of empirical study, Jaques concluded that just as humans differ in intelligence, we differ in our ability to handle time-dependent complexity.… — John Brockman Copy Share Image
“people readily accept credit when told they have succeeded, attributing it to their ability and effort. Yet they attribute failure to such external factors… — John Brockman Copy Share Image
