David Robson: Placebo Effect, Mortality, and IQ Traps

By Theories of Everything

Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal

13/02/23·2h 44m

In this episode we explore the placebo effect, the power of expectation, and the cognitive traps that correlate with IQ. Guest David Robson, a mathematician‑turned‑science writer, shares insights on intelligence traps, rationality, and how curiosity fuels breakthroughs.- 00:00:00 - Introduction- 00:05:55 - IQ tests measure what exactly?- 00:08:00 - Various pitfalls of intelligence (IQ traps)- 00:14:09 - Rationality is not emotionally comforting- 00:16:51 - Is "truth" the most valuable pursuit? What is "truth"?- 00:19:10 - Truth can be terrifying- 00:24:14 - Curiosity is correlated with high IQ- 00:28:53 - Breakthroughs are born through curiosity- 00:36:13 - Contradiction is a healthy part of science- 00:39:20 - The different styles of science- 00:45:36 - The placebo effect: how "expectation" can overcome genetics- 00:51:35 - Applying the placebo and expectation effects- 01:05:51 - Frustration lies at the heart of learning- 01:13:25 - Cultivating the qualities of a genius in yourself- 01:18:33 - What is evidence-based wisdom?- 01:23:42 - A standardized test for wisdom- 01:31:03 - The relationship between IQ and RQ (rationality quotient)- 01:33:23 - Ways to supercharge your rationality- 01:35:48 - The scientific bias- 01:41:56 - Parapsychological research- 01:47:51 - What is "functional stupidity"?- 01:52:39 - Curt finds holes in every argument- 01:57:13 - Self deception is easy- 02:00:38 - When high skill damages performance- 02:04:20 - The best team is smart and disagreeable- 02:10:44 - The power of a Yogi- 02:18:20 - Your perceptions change future reality- 02:20:19 - Ego depletion and the replication crisis- 02:22:23 - The pilot sight test- 02:27:16 - Acquiring creativity, productivity, and Savant-ismSPONSORS:- Brilliant: 20% off https://brilliant.org/TOE- New TOE Website (early access to episodes): https://theoriesofeverything.org/- Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal- Crypto: https://tinyurl.com/cryptoTOE- PayPal: https://tinyurl.com/paypalTOE- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt- Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs- iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...- Pandora: https://pdora.co/33b9lfP- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b9...- Subreddit r/TheoriesOfEverything: https://reddit.com/r/theoriesofeveryt... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices