Weekly Newsletter
Science and Technology #
Futures of Text
A survey of all the current innovation in text as a medium. Argues for the superiority of text-based communication and interaction over app-based communication and interaction.
First human head transplant could happen in two years
Discusses the prospects for transplanting a human head onto another body. Neglects to discuss from where the second body would come, but, otherwise does a good job of explaining the idea and the issues surrounding it.
The Secret Science of Novak Djokovic’s Training Pod
Examines the CVAC pod, claimed to improve athlete performance, and profiles its founders. Despite the gimmicky title, this article displays an impressive level of nuance. I included it because it denies the reader an easy answer to the question it poses.
Education #
Your Kid’s School Is Missing the Tech Revolution, and It’s All Your Fault
Attempts to explain why so many educational technology startups fail. Characterizes the different viewpoints of young tech executives and nervous parents well.
Neuroscience #
The Elastic Brain
Investigates the possibility of a ‘brain plasticity pill’, which, if created, could restore the learning abilities of a child’s brain to an adult one. Exciting stuff.
Software #
What A Rembrandt Can Teach you about Software and Programmers
I’ll admit this article’s a bit self-indulgent. It pulls an excerpt from a book I intend to read – Mirror Worlds: or the Day Software Puts the Universe in a Shoebox…How It Will Happen and What It Will Mean
Other Contributions #
What Kind of Man joins the Men’s Rights movement? (Don Casler)
Profiles the Men’s Rights movement and it’s de facto leader, Elam. This article falls into a category of articles for which I lack a name but can identify quickly. Such articles use the guise of outsider-ness to cloak their bias. In this case, the author clearly had a pre-formed view of the Men’s rights movement. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not particularly sympathetic to this movement, but I did feel like the article portrayed the movement as unreasonably single-minded.
The Atheist Paradox (Mark Malina)
A philosophical investigation of Atheism and it’s relationship to Christianity and belief in general.
The Age of Uncertainty (Will Baird)
Questions the wisdom of our society’s collective embrace of delayed adulthood, spearheaded by the higher education system.